The Azores are actively integrated in the field of digital cartography based on aerial photography and satellite cartography, being a reference in this field of projection as an analysis tool, stated the Regional Secretary for Science, Technology, José Contente, in Furnas on Tuesday morning.
The Regional Secretary spoke at the opening session of the PCMAC 2007/2013 Conference – Cartograf, Gabitec and Geocid Projects, emphasising the importance of cartography and the geographic information system in the planning and development of the Region.
The Azores joined the “CARTOGRAF” project in 2003 in order to draft, maintain, update and disseminate the Cartography of the North Atlantic archipelagos of Macaronesia. 
It is now time to go through new cycles of production and knowledge dissemination, José Contente stressed, adding that the Community directives will be implemented and the geographic information systems will be extended to a new public.
In this context, the work carried out by the Regional Government in this field is exceptionally important as Google Earth and Microsoft Virtual Earth use the digital cartography created in the Azores on a regular basis.
Moreover the creation of new geodesy and radio astronomy stations on Santa Maria and Flores reflect the investment made by the Regional Government in the GNSS network at the level of geodetic network in order to permanently update and enhance these equipments.
José  Contente concluded his speech by stressing the work which has been carried out over the two past years by the Azorean Government to maintain a digital cartographic database and implement geographic information systems that are crucial in our current context.