Estimating the Quality of Areal OSM Data, A Case Study in Zanjan

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Shabanloo Street, Lavizan, Tehran, Iran

2 Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University

10.22059/eoge.2026.409787.1202

Abstract

The employment of digital maps has become a common tool and a widespread resource and an integral aspect of today's digital lifestyle. These maps are primarily created not through official sources but rather with the involvement of the users themselves, with OpenStreetMap (OSM) being a prominent example. However, the trustworthiness of these maps has always been a significant issue.
This study focuses on how accurate and complete OpenStreetMap (OSM) data is in the city of Zanjan by comparing it to high-resolution 1:2000 reference maps. Using methods like spatial similarity and weighted averages, this research discovered that while OSM data was generally reliable, there were noticeable differences depending on the part of the city.
The results revealed that in historical and deteriorated regions, the accuracy of the data was approximately 10% lower, and their completeness was about 35% less than in other areas. This highlights a key issue: Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) often depends on where and who contributes to mapping.
Therefore, relying solely on volunteered data can lead to uneven quality across different urban zones. This study highlights the importance of taking local context into account when utilizing VGI and considers targeted efforts to offer users indicators of information quality as crucial.

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Main Subjects

Earth Observation and Geomatics Engineering
Volume 9, Issue 2
December 2025

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