| Variable | Burundi | Kenya | Rwanda | Tanzania | Uganda |
| Relevant Laws | Decree No. 100/241 of 29 October 2014 | Survey Act Cap 299 of 1961, currently under review | Organic Law, 2005 | Land survey and surveyors ordinance Cap 390, Professional Surveyors Act, 1977 | Survey Act of 1939, Cap. 232 (2000 edition) |
| Spatial Reference Systems | WGS84; Gauss Kruger projection, UTM projection; Clarke 1880 modified ellipsoid | Arc 1960, local datum; UTM, Cassini projections; Clarke 1858 and 1880 ellipsoids | Arc1960; WGS84, ITRF 2005; Gauss-Kruger and UTM projections; modified Clarke 1880 ellipsoid | Arc1960; WGS84, various local systems; UTM and TTM projections; Clarke 1880 ellipsoid | Arc 1960; WGS84; UTM projection; Clarke 1880 ellipsoid |
| Key Geospatial Datasets Available | Geodetic framework, administrative and watershed boundaries, transportation network, hydrography, Ortho-photography for Gitega and Bujumbura cities, Aerial photography, Topomaps and DEM for the whole country. No metadata. (further details available in the map catalogue available at IGEBU)-Gitega | Geodetic framework, Hydrography, Vegetation, Utilities, Administrative boundaries, Transportation network, parcel boundaries, DEM, Digital imagery, Topomaps and Geographical names. No metadata (further details available in the maps catalogue available at SoK)-Nairobi | Geodetic network, Cadastral data, Geographical names, Ortho-imagery, Elevations, Transportation network, Hydrography, Government land boundaries and Administrative boundaries. Some limited metadata. (further details available in the map catalogue available at RNRA)-Kigali | Geodetic network, Topographic maps, hydrography, Cadastral data, aerial photography, Geographical names. No metadata (further details available in the map catalogue available at survey and mapping department)-Dar es Salaam | Geodetic network, Hydrography, Administrative boundaries, Cadastral data, DEM, Aerial photography, Geographic names; Topo maps. No metadata. (further details available in the map catalogue available at the department of survey and mapping)-Entebbe |
| Basic Mapping Scales | 1:50,000 In 42 sheets | Y731 series 1:50,000-512 sheets and Y633 series 1:100,000 in 89 sheets | 1:50,000 In 52 sheets | 1:50,000 series Y742 In 1294 sheets | Y732 series 1:50,000 in 325 sheets |
| Map Making Standards and Specifications | Burundi specifications for 1:5000, 1:25,000 No published national standards | East African specifications for topographical maps, unpublished digital symbol specifications for 1:2500 and 1:5000 by SoK | Metadata standards by ESRI, No published national mapping standards. | East African specifications for topographical maps, No published national standards | East African specifications for topographical maps, No published national standards |
| National Atlas | Available in French, analogue | Available 5th ed. 2003, English, analogue and digital formats | Available in French, analogue | Available in English, of 1976 and analogue | Available, digital (PDF) in English, of 1967 |
| National Gazetteer of Geographic Names | Not available | Available, analogue, 2nd edition of 1977 | Available, analogue | Available, analogue, date of publication unknown | Available, analogue, of 1971 |
| Mapping Technology: Hardware
Software | Computers, scanners, plotters, DPWs, Wild B8S stereo plotter, digitizing tables and GNSS sets
ArcGIS and Micro station (license based) MapSource, QGIS (FOSS) AutoCAD, ILWIS and Arc view 3.2 | Computers, GNSS sets, digital cameras, scanners, plotters, light tables, printers, technical pens and scale rulers, DPWs, Total stations and map filing cabinets
ArcGIS 10.0; Adobe C55; Global Mapper; Mercator 7.2, QGIS, Erdas Imagine and AutoCAD | Computers, GNSS sets, Total stations, plotters, printers and scanners
ArcGIS 10.1, 10.0, and 9.3, Arc view 3.2 and AutoCAD | Computers, Total stations, GNSS sets, digital levels, printing machines (analogue) and stereo plotters (dysfunctional)
ArcGIS, Erdas, Info system, LPS, Arc Info, Arc view-(license based) and QGIS (FOSS) | Computers, GNSS sets, scanner, plotter, technical pens, scale rulers and rubbers, DPWs, Total stations
QGIS (FOSS) and ArcGIS (without license) |