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International standard specifying schemas for describing metadata of geographic information and services.
DESCRIPTION
ISO 19115 defines the structure and content of geospatial metadata to ensure consistent discovery, understanding, and use of geographic datasets and services. It covers identification, quality, spatial/temporal extent, lineage, and distribution information. Implementations often use ISO 19139 for XML encoding and integrate with catalog services. The standard underpins national spatial data infrastructures and the EU INSPIRE framework. It enables interoperability across agencies, vendors, and data portals.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
ISO
Defines the schema required for describing geographic information and services.
Concise focus on schema for geospatial metadata and services.
European Commission INSPIRE
INSPIRE metadata implementing rules are based on ISO 19115 and ISO 19119 to ensure harmonised description of spatial datasets and services.
Highlights adoption within EU INSPIRE for harmonization.
Open Geospatial Consortium
OGC metadata practices align with ISO 19115, enabling interoperable cataloguing and discovery of geospatial resources.
Emphasizes interoperability and cataloguing across geospatial systems.
RELATED TERMS
Geographic Information System ISO 19139 ISO 19157 Metadata Management DCAT Data Discovery Platform INSPIRE Metadata
COMPETING TERMS
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Metadata Management Semantic & Knowledge Modeling Data Management Data Architecture Data Services Document & Content Management
TARGET AUDIENCE
Data Steward Data Architect Information Analyst Data Modeler Data Governance Manager Data Management Consultant BI Specialist
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Wikipedia - ISO 19115
- ISO - Official ISO 19115 standard page
- European Commission INSPIRE - EU INSPIRE metadata rules
- USGS FGDC - US geospatial metadata guidance
TOP QUESTIONS
What is the purpose of ISO 19115?
It standardizes geospatial metadata to improve dataset discovery, understanding, and interoperability across organizations and platforms.
Category: Overview
How is ISO 19115 implemented in practice?
Commonly via ISO 19139 XML encoding and catalog services (CSW). Many data portals and SDIs adopt these schemas.
Category: Implementation
Why is ISO 19115 relevant for data catalogs?
It provides structured fields for identification, quality, lineage, and distribution, enabling robust search and harmonization in catalogs.
Category: Relevancy
Is ISO 19115 compatible with DCAT?
Yes. Mappings exist between ISO 19115 elements and DCAT classes to integrate geospatial metadata with general open data portals.
Category: Interoperability
What common mistakes occur with ISO 19115 metadata?
Incomplete quality or lineage details and inconsistent keywords hinder discoverability and trust. Validation against profiles reduces errors.
Category: Mistakes
How does ISO 19115 relate to INSPIRE?
INSPIRE’s metadata rules are based on ISO 19115, ensuring EU-wide harmonization of spatial datasets and services.
Category: Relationship
What is the risk of poor ISO 19115 compliance?
Datasets may be hard to find, misunderstood, or misused, leading to wasted effort and incorrect analyses.
Category: Risk
Which roles should own ISO 19115 metadata?
Data stewards and information analysts typically author and maintain metadata, guided by governance and architecture standards.
Category: Ownership
How do profiles extend ISO 19115?
Organizations create profiles to mandate specific fields, vocabularies, and constraints tailored to local or sector needs.
Category: Customization