South Sudan, Welcome to Google Maps
South Sudan has officially existed as an independent country since July 9. Now it also exists on Google Maps
The absence of South Sudan on Google Maps, and the majority of Internet maps, has frustrated citizens of the new country. As early as July 14, Google answered questions about the missing border with assurances that it was in the process of making the update.
“That’s nice,” John Tanza Mabusu, a broadcast journalist who fled Sudan in 1991 and now lives in Washington, D.C., told Mashable 47 days after South Sudan became a country. “But I would still argue that it’s too late to start talking about that because since the 9th of July, if they were serious, we would have seen the signs of their work.”
Mabusu started a Change.org petition urging Google, Microsoft, Yahoo and National Geographic to update their maps. The petition collected more than 1,600 signatures.
Google is the first of those companies to update its maps. Spokespeople from Yahoo and Mapquest have pointed to map data providers such as NAVTEQ, which has said that it is “currently assessing plans” and cited time-consuming detailed planning.
“I’m hoping that now that Google has officially recognized South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit,” Mabusu said in a statement. “The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It’s time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up.”
http://mashable.com/2011/09/22/south-sudan-google-maps/
22 September 2011 Last updated at 11:33 ET
Google puts South Sudan on the map following campaign
Google has recognised the newly independent nation of South Sudan by including it on Google Maps.
The online separation from Sudan followed a campaign by 1,600 members of the group Change.org, calling for the new nation to be marked on web maps.
But South Sudan is still missing from Yahoo!, Microsoft and National Geographic maps.
It became independent in July this year, following decades of conflict in which some two million people died.
Six weeks after his home country gained independence, John Tanza Mabusu, a journalist from South Sudan living in Washington, launched a petition on Change.org.
It called on online mapping services to update their maps to include the new nation.
“The inclusion of South Sudan will give the people of that new nation pride and a sense of belonging, as citizens of a sovereign nation on the map,” said Mabusu.
“I’m hoping that now that Google has officially recognised South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit.”
He said: “The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It’s time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up.”
Change.org says it is the world’s fastest-growing platform for social change, with more than 400,000 new members a month
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15023217
Google amends Sudanese map
Google has separated South Sudan from Sudan on Google Maps after campaigners called on the company and other major online map service providers to recognise the newly independent nation of South Sudan by marking it on their web maps.
Southern Sudan (image: a2zproject.org)“The inclusion of South Sudan will give the people of that new nation pride and a sense of belonging, as citizens of a sovereign nation on the map,” said a spokesperson for the campaigners in a statement.
“We are hoping that now that Google has officially recognised South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit. The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It is time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up.”
South Sudan became an independent, sovereign nation in July after about 99% of the population voted in favour of independence. The referendum followed 50 years of civil war and brutal conflict which resulted in over 2 million deaths and hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people.
While South Sudan can now be found on Google Maps, it is however still missing from Yahoo!, Microsoft and National Geographic maps.
Goodman Majola
http://www.itnewsafrica.com/2011/09/google-amends-sudanese-map/
Google Adds South Sudan to Map as Independent Country
Google has separated South Sudan as its own entity after a large push from over 1,600 Change.org members. South Sudan became a sovereign nation July 9, 2011 following a vote by an overwhelming 99% of the population. This was an important decision and day after 50 years of civil war and vicious conflict. The death toll mounts 2 million and even more hundreds of thousands have become refugees.
The Google movement was launched by John Tanza Mabusu, a journalist from South Sudan, currently residing in Washington, D.C. Six weeks after indepdenence Mabusu launched a petition on Change.org requesting that all online mapping services update their data.
“The inclusion of South Sudan will give the people of that new nation pride and a sense of belonging, as citizens of a sovereign nation on the map. I’m hoping now that Google has officially recognized South Sudan on their maps, the other major online mapping services will quickly follow suit. The people of South Sudan fought long and hard for their independence and suffered greatly. It’s time these maps reflect their efforts and catch up.”
-Mabusu
As this change was put into play this week, South Sudan is still missing from National Geographic, Microsoft and Yahoo maps, but as any technology or social media enthusiast knows, Google is a large step. As an international agency, Abraham Harrison is impressed with the integrity and efforts of Mabusu and hopes that other mapping services follow Google’s lead very soon.
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