Switzerland’s National Mapping Agency integrates what3words

Switzerland’s Geoinformation Act of 2008 mandates that all geodata relating to the territory of the Swiss Confederation be available to the Federal, Cantonal and municipal authorities, to industry and commerce, to academic and scientific institutions and to society at large in a sustainable, up-to-date, rapid and easy way.

In response to the Act and as part of the eGovernment Switzerland strategy, The Federal Office for Topography (swisstopo) has built the centralised geographical information platform, geo.admin.ch, to be the portal for all of the Federal Administration’s geo-referenced information, data, and services. The map is available in five languages and is freely accessible to the public, providing a single point of entry for all electronic interactions and transactions with the Swiss authorities.

Now, alongside technical GPS coordinates and elevation information, what3words can also been accessed via the online map.geo.admin.ch , providing a user-friendly and memorable way of referring to any point in Switzerland. Users can search and discover 3 word addresses for all geo-references, from typical addresses for businesses and homes, to more remote locations like hiking trails and ski runs.