The National Map is a framework for geographic knowledge needed by the Nation. It enhances America’s ability to access, integrate, and apply geospatial data at global, national, and local scales—USGS

There is still the same need for a national map now as there was when The National Map was originally conceived earlier in this decade. Government entities at various levels, the academic and scientific community, and the private sector are often unable to present information they are primarily responsible for in a cohesive and compelling manner because they lack the resources to produce adequate base maps. These resources include:
• Expertise in cartographic design and production;
• Complete, current, conflated data for the required themes at the required scales;
• Ability to distinguish the best available authoritative data and determine when each can be used;
• Appropriate spatial data processing techniques.
The data in The National Map can be used to build cartographically professional base maps that are able to convey authoritative science, resource management, and policy making. Topographic base maps are, perhaps, the best example of such a base map, and they have served as such for a long time.
The National Map provides an exclusive source for several integral data layers in a topographic base map; indeed, without the National Map, no other viable data sources will exist in the digital environment. For example, the elevation data already available in The National Map are often used to register and sometimes to derive other data needed to make a professional base map.
These are all compelling reasons for supporting the development and delivery of The National Map data as well as products derived from it, such as a topographic base map. The USGS’ National Map team supports this through:
• Collecting and collating data;
• Improving the quality and currency of the data; and
• Demonstrating the value of their orthoimagery, hydrography, land cover, and elevation data programs.
The current implementation of The National Map must be expanded to facilitate web mapping and data and product delivery in a wide array of applications to support the work of government, academics, scientists, and the private sector.