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If I want to go to some contry, with no specific region in mind yet, I often have trouble to get good topographical information for hiking beforehand. I usually find it rather difficult to discove...
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Source: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/q/19254 License name: CC BY-SA 3.0 License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
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<p>If I want to go to some contry, with no specific region in mind yet, I often have trouble to get good topographical information for hiking beforehand. I usually find it rather difficult to discover by quick Googling, especially if I don't speak the local language.</p> <p>But in many countries, at least in Europe, there is some kind of official institution which publishes map data and/or series of detailed topographic maps covering the whole country (or most of it), suitable for outdoor purposes. Often these instututions are related to surveying, cadastral registration, or the military.</p> <p>What are these official institutions per country, and what do they provide? If there is no such institution, what is the de-facto standard map provider in that country (which means: (almost) full coverage, organized series, used by "everyone and the alpine association", etc.)?</p> <p><hr></p> <p><sub>This is a self-answered "big list" question, discussed <a href="https://outdoors.meta.stackexchange.com/q/1191/15579">here</a>. If you have something to add, please edit the CW answer. Stick to the official institutions or their de-facto alternatives -- <em>not</em> just every publisher producing maps.</sub></p>