Bhutan NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructure System

Overview

The Bhutan National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) System is a centralized online geospatial data platform developed by the National Land Commission Secretariat (NLCS) of Bhutan and launched in 2025. The system provides government agencies, academic institutions, consultants, and the general public with standardized access to accurate and reliable spatial data covering the entire territory of Bhutan.

History and Development

The NSDI was initiated as a joint technical cooperation project between the National Land Commission Secretariat (NLCS) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The first phase began in early 2015 with the creation of 1:25,000 scale digital topographic maps for approximately 9,850 square kilometers in Bhutan's southern region, focused on supporting agricultural and infrastructure development. A second component — the 'Promotion of Utilization of Geospatial Information through the Development of NSDI' — established the broader data-sharing framework and portal infrastructure. In April 2025, JICA formally handed over digital topographic maps at both 1:25,000 and 1:5,000 scales to the NLCS. The NSDI system was officially launched in 2025 by Bhutan's Prime Minister alongside government officials.

Collections and Features

The NSDI system serves as a centralized repository for standardized geospatial data from across Bhutan. Key data layers include topographic maps, land use zoning maps, settlement data, road networks, schools, health centers, rivers, and environmental management boundaries. The platform integrates contributions from approximately 40 stakeholder agencies including government ministries, autonomous agencies, corporations, and NGOs. The system standardizes data formats, metadata, and sharing protocols to prevent duplication and reduce data silos across agencies.

Access and Usage

The Bhutan NSDI System is freely accessible online at nsdi.systems.gov.bt. Users can browse, search, visualize, and download available geospatial datasets. The system is managed by the Centre for Geo-Information (CGI) within NLCS's Geo-Informatics Division.