OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a collaboratively edited map of the world, founded in 2004 by Steve Coast in the UK as a response to restrictively licensed government map data. Often described as the "Wikipedia of maps", it is maintained by millions of volunteer contributors who survey, trace and tag the world around them.

All OSM data is free to use under the Open Database License, which has made it the foundation for thousands of products: humanitarian crisis mapping, outdoor and cycling apps, scientific research, and the map layers of companies including Meta, Apple and Amazon. End users typically reach OSM through apps such as OsmAnd or Organic Maps.

The project is coordinated by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a small UK non-profit funded by donations and memberships, which owns the infrastructure but not the data — that belongs to the community. No accounts, profiles or tracking are involved in using the map, making OSM the reference example of digital infrastructure as a common good.