WikiMapia facts for kids
Wikimapia is a cool online map project where people from all over the world work together to describe places. Imagine a map that you can click on, and then you can add information about buildings, parks, schools, or anything else you find there! It's like a giant, shared notebook for the entire planet's geography.
Wikimapia was started in May 2006 by two people, Alexandre Koriakine and Evgeniy Saveliev. Their big idea was to mark and describe every single geographical spot on Earth.
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How Wikimapia Works
Wikimapia combines two main ideas: an interactive map and a wiki system.
The Interactive Map
The interactive map lets you zoom in and out, move around, and see different parts of the world, just like other online maps you might have used. But the special part is that you can click on areas to see what others have written about them.
The Wiki System
The "wiki" part means that anyone can add or edit information on the map. If you know something about a place, you can draw a shape around it on the map and then write a description. This makes Wikimapia a collaborative project, meaning lots of people work together to build it.
What Can You Add?
You can add details about almost anything! For example, you could mark:
- Your school
- A local park
- A famous landmark
- A shop or restaurant
- Even a small pond or a forest
You can describe what the place is, when it was built, what it's used for, and any interesting facts about it.
Why is Wikimapia Useful?
Wikimapia helps people learn about places all over the world. It's a great way to:
- Discover new places
- Find out more about places you already know
- Share your knowledge with others
- See how different parts of the world are described by local people
It's a bit like a giant, ever-growing encyclopedia of places, built by everyone who wants to contribute!
