New Zealand Topographic Data Dictionary

Introduction

The National Topographic/Hydrographic Authority (NTHA) of Land Information New Zealand develops and maintains policies, standards and specifications for core Crown national topographic and hydrographic services and the survey definition of the Continental Shelf Project. The NTHA is responsible for the storage, access and currency of the digital data used to produce topographic maps for New Zealand and its territories. This digital topographic data is commonly referred to as NZTopo.

The NTHA is currently working with counterparts from Australia to produce a common Australia/New Zealand Topographic Data Dictionary. This combined dictionary will outline consistent classification and meaningful definitions of spatial objects identified for the storage, collection and transfer of topographic data. Such information will be beneficial for users of topographic information in both countries.

Because work is continuing to be undertaken in the production of the Australia/New Zealand Topographic Data Dictionary, classifications and definitions in the following New Zealand Data Dictionary may be subject to change. Obvious inconsistencies between the two Data Dictionaries relate to the classifications, for example, the term "object" in the New Zealand dictionary is classed "included term" in the Australia/New Zealand Data Dictionary. Further assessment and consultation will overcome these inconsistencies.

To date, the New Zealand Data Dictionary describes each object, its entity class, object inheritance and attributes. Where appropriate, additional information is supplied about:

• attribute table/s attached to the object;
• fields;
• a list of finite values, and
• examples of the type of value, including map scale and location of data collection (e.g. 50k ant = Antarctica).

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