Geospatial industry is firmly rooted in Middle East. Political will, abundant resources, high degree of awareness and aspiration to excel have made governments in the region to invest in latest applications, making it a fertile ground for geospatial technologies.
One of the enduring impressions of any visit to the Middle East (ME) is the ‘forest’ of tower cranes. Building activity seems to be never ending in this part of the world. There is another activity, equally vigorous though not as visible and that is the building up of spatial data infrastructures in the states that make up the GCC. Beginning with Qatar, the efforts have spread to all the states and significant progress has been made. As Zul Jiwani points out, the necessary ingredients for this success are a patron, a field clear of the baggage of legacy, a receptive clientele and adequate financial resources. Understanding the user needs and catering to a variety of users from security agencies to the public drives many of these efforts. Each agency has its own way of meeting its user needs. As systems mature, so do users and the needs grow.