General specifications
Overview
This data set is part of the larger WCMC protected areas database which contains information on the following theme areas
- National Parks and Protected Areas (national designations)
- Internationally designated sites:
- World Heritage sites
- Man in the Bioshere reserves
- Ramsar sites
This particular data set has been created to support the analysis carried out for CIFOR on this CD-ROM. The main database was created to support
the IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas.IUCN's Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas (CNPPA) is the leading international scientific and technical body concerned with the selection, establishment and management of national parks and other protected areas. Its membership includes more than 500 protected areas professionals from about 120 countries. CNPPA is served by IUCN's Protected Areas Programme in order to promote the establishment of a world-wide network of effectively managed terrestrial and marine protected areas.
Technical summary
Data management
Data was digitized from a variety of sources (see sources). Data was edited using UNIX workstation Arc/Info v7.0 + and processed through a number of quality tests (see quality assurance). The data are archived at WCMC in the Biodiversity Map Library in Arc/Info Region and Arc/Info Point topology.
Data delivery
WCMC is able to deliver data on the following media.
- CD-ROM
- Diskette
- Tape (4mm DAT, 8mm EXABYTE), written using UNIX command tar
- FTP
The appropriate medium will be identified prior to delivery.
Export formats
Given the complex nature of the Region topology the data are distributed in the following formats:
- Arc/Info Shape
- Arc/Info Export (of native region layers)
- Arc/Info Export (of polygon layer, with region look-up tables)
- Arc/Info Ungenerate (separate file for each region subclass, with region look-up tables)
Data are segmented in to countries will all associated files residing in a country directory. Country names are referenced using the International Standards Organisation (ISO) three letter coding system (e.g. AFG = Afghanistan). A full list of these codes is provided in Annex 2.
Geographic characteristics
- Nominal scale: 1:1,000,000
- Projection: geographic
- Units: decimal degrees
- Precision: double (real)