Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland Facts for Kids

The Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) was the official group in charge of making maps for Northern Ireland. It was like the main map-making company for the country. On April 1, 2008, OSNI joined up with a bigger government department called Land and Property Services. This new group also included other services like collecting rates (taxes), valuing land, and keeping records of land ownership.

What Was OSNI?
Maps and Data OSNI Made
See also

What Was OSNI?

OSNI used to be a special part of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure within the Northern Ireland Executive. Think of it as a government department focused on maps!

The map-making groups in Northern Ireland, Great Britain, and the Republic of Ireland all have a shared history. The original British Ordnance Survey (OS) stopped mapping Ireland just before the Irish Free State was formed in 1922. This was after Northern Ireland had already been created in May 1921.

The new Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI) officially started on January 1, 1922. The Ordnance Survey of Ireland (OSI) for the Republic of Ireland began a little later, on April 1, 1922. So, they are like sister organizations!

Maps and Data OSNI Made

Most of OSNI's money came from letting others use its digital map data. Because Ireland has such a long history of mapping, this data was super detailed and complete, making it some of the best in the world!

OSNI created many different digital map products:

Large Scale Maps: These were very detailed maps (like 1:1250 for cities and 1:2500 for rural areas) that used vector graphics. This means the maps were made of points, lines, and shapes that could be zoomed in very far without getting blurry.
Smaller Scale Maps: They also had maps like 1:10,000 and 1:50,000, which are less detailed but cover larger areas.
Aerial Photos: OSNI used special orthophotography at 1:10,000 scale. These are aerial photos that have been corrected so they are as accurate as a map.
Leisure Maps: For fun activities, they made 1:25,000 maps.
Paper Maps: You could also get paper versions of all their digital maps.

Mapping History: Old Maps Digitized

In 2005, OSNI started an exciting project with the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI). They began to turn all the old historical maps, some dating back to the 1830s, into digital files. These were some of the first very accurate, large-scale maps ever made in the world!

They were also making sure these old maps matched up with modern map systems. This way, you could see how places have changed over time. They even added interesting notes from PRONI's old records to these maps.

The Pointer Address Database

OSNI also managed a special address database called Pointer. This was the only one of its kind in the UK! Pointer checked and combined address information from different places like the Royal Mail, the group that values land, OSNI itself, and local councils.

It also gave every address in Northern Ireland a unique ID and linked it to a specific spot on a map. This meant that people using computer mapping systems (called Geographic Information Systems or GIS) could easily find and use information about over 800,000 addresses in Northern Ireland. They could combine this with digital maps and their own data.

Connecting Map Information: GeoHub

A main goal for OSNI was to help connect all the different pieces of map information (called Geographical Information or GI). This helped Northern Ireland's economy, society, and government.

OSNI also helped lead "Mosaic," which was Northern Ireland's plan for using GI. This was the first plan like it in the UK! To support Mosaic, OSNI started building a "GeoHub" in 2006. This GeoHub was a central place where map data from many different sources could be stored and linked.

It allowed people to search for "data about data" (called metadata). Using simple web browsers, people could look at many layers of map data, ask questions about them, connect them, analyze them, get licenses to use them, and even upload or update data.

How OSNI Made Maps

OSNI used advanced technology to make its maps:

Photogrammetry: This involves taking pictures from airplanes to create detailed 3D models of the land. They used high-resolution stereo images (like 3D photos) to keep track of land heights (called a Digital Terrain Model or DTM).
Ground Survey: They also had teams on the ground using electronic tools called theodolites. These tools helped them measure angles and distances very precisely. They used tablet computers to enter data directly into digital maps.
3D Visualizations: Special computer software allowed them to put aerial photos or maps over these 3D models. This created "fly-through" or "drive-through" videos, showing what an area looked like in 3D.
GPS Accuracy: OSNI's Geodesy section made sure their positioning system was accurate down to millimeters. Their ground stations also allowed for very precise use of the GPS system.

Starting in Spring 2006, you could buy all of OSNI's maps and products online through their website, www.osni.gov.uk.

Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland facts for kids

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