Today, the project is supported by the OpenStreetMap Foundation, a non-profit organization that manages the servers and provides a legal framework for the database. How OpenStreetMap Works
(OSM) is a global project aimed at creating a free, editable map of the entire world. Often referred to as the "Wikipedia of maps," it relies on a community of over 10 million registered volunteers who contribute data about roads, buildings, forests, and points of interest. Unlike proprietary maps, OSM data is open-source and free for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. The Origins and Mission of OSM openstreetmap
OSM operates on a crowdsourcing model known as . Contributors use several methods to populate the map: Today, the project is supported by the OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap: The World’s Free and Collaborative Digital Atlas Unlike proprietary maps, OSM data is open-source and
The project was founded in by Steve Coast in the United Kingdom. At the time, geographic data was largely controlled by government agencies or private corporations, making it expensive or legally restricted for common use. Coast’s vision was to democratize this information, ensuring that geographical data remained a public good.