GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, is a rapidely developing field that has come of age in the information society. The character of GIS that sets us apart from other information societies is the need to identify 'where'.

Based on this focus, the GIS community has its own history, theories, technologies and skills. The practitioners of GIS have common interests and therefore benefit from having our own society to share ideas. To this end Asia GIS Association was formed to bring together the GIS community in Asia. The end Asia GIS Association has been formed on 17 October 2003 in the closing ceremony of the Asia GIS 2003 Conference that was held in Wuhan, China for celebrating the 110th anniversary of Wuhan University. After the successful organization of the 1st Asia GIS Conference in Hong Kong in 1994, the Asia GIS Conferences were subsequently held in Bangkok, Taipei, and Tokyo before being organized this year by the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing (LIESMARS) of Wuhan University. A group of experts and representatives from China, Hong Kong SAR China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and China-Taipei considered that an Asia GIS Association for the networking of people in promoting teaching, research, development and applications of GIS and its related technology is much needed in Asia which has a very high population density and different urban and rural landscapes compared with other parts of the world. A Preparatory Committee was formed and met twice in LIESMARS, Wuhan University before the Asia GIS 2003 Conference to prepare the organization structure and draft the constitution for this new Association. The GIS Associations in China, Hong Kong SAR China, Japan, Korea and China-Taipei agreed to become the Founding Members of the Association. The Inaugural General Assembly and Council Meetings were held immediately after the Closing Ceremony of the Asia GIS Conference that officially announced the formation of the Association.

The Asia GIS Association will provide a multidisciplinary network and forum for people involved in GIS teaching, research, development, applications, hardware, and software to interact with each other to exchange ideas and information on the latest development of this rapidly changing technology. A biennial Asia GIS Conference, homepage, exhibition, seminars and workshops are some of the planned activities of the Association.

For further information of the Association, please contact the Secretary-General of the Association:

Prof. Anthony Yeh
GIS Research Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
Tel: (+852) 2859-2721, Fax: (+852) 2559-0468
Email: asiagis@asiagis.org, Homepage: www.asiagis.org.