12 November 2001

A fingertip trip around Britain

Ordnance Survey publishes a new edition of its Interactive Atlas of Great Britain on two CD-Roms

Personal computer owners can explore Britain using only their fingertips – thanks to a new edition of Ordnance Survey's Interactive Atlas on CD-ROM.

Featuring the latest mapping for every part of Britain, the new fifth edition is bigger and better than ever before. "We've added so much more information that one CD-ROM can't hold it all – so we've added another one," says Ordnance Survey's Eric Bates.

"As well as overall mapping at 1:250,000 scale, covering the entire country, there are now 200 much more detailed Ordnance Survey map extracts – highlighting many of Britain's National Parks and other areas of interest. Many of these maps are at a scale which is ideal for walkers – and in some cases cover areas as much as 64 square kilometres."

And for those who like to customise their own maps, there is a facility enabling users to switch 'layers' of the main mapping – such as roads and place names – on and off. "This facility is ideal for producing project maps with greater clarity, for example, because people can create their own style and content," says Mr Bates.

The atlas has hundreds of interactive symbols highlighting places of interest. These link to more than 500 photographs and text descriptions. And for those wanting something a little different, there are now eight animated fly-through sequences. These 3-D maps, reflecting the landscape, give users a view normally only seen by helicopter pilots.

Other highlights include almost 100 detailed town and airport plans and a fully-searchable listing of more than 42,000 place names to help people track down areas of personal interest.

There is also a map skills tutorial – aimed at increasing an overall understanding and interpretation of maps. For those who really want to test their knowledge of Britain and its geography, there are two interactive quizzes. A Great Britain topic quiz challenges players to select questions from one of eight topics - including mountains and hills, places and people, and around the coast. The second quiz is an against-the-clock test of the contestant's general knowledge of all regions within Britain.

"The quizzes are great fun for people of all ages," says Mr Bates. "But of all the changes we've made for this edition, one of the most significant is probably its cost," says Mr Bates. "Through new efficiencies and our commitment to education, we have been able to position the selling price at an affordable level for all ages. This is £19.99 - including a licence for several people to have access to the atlas on a network. It makes it an ideal purchase for use in schools and businesses - as well as for home reference."

The Interactive Atlas of Great Britain fifth edition is being distributed for Ordnance Survey by Focus Multimedia Limited. It is available on line through Ordnance Survey's web site www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk. It can also be bought from Approved Educational Suppliers; and from many computer software shops throughout Britain.

---

Chief Press Officer - Scott Sinclair

Email: scott.sinclair@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2265

Senior Press Officer - Kate Kemp

Email: kate.kemp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2977

Press Officer - Paula Good

Email: paula.good@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2635

Press Officer - Paul Beauchamp

Email: paul.beauchamp@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2568

Press Office Co-ordinator - Pauline Hand

Email: pauline.hand@ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Phone: (+44) 023 8079 2251

Press Office fax: (+44) 023 8030 5295