Cadastre 

During the past decades many developing countries have paid increasingly attention to land reforms and land administration in their respective countries.
 
A reliable cadastre is an essential tool for documenting and thus ensuring land and property ownership. At the individual level, the security provided by a cadastre is a prerequisite for mortgage raising and for investment in soil improvement, house building, and resource extraction.

Definition of a cadastre system

A cadastre is normally a parcel based, and up-to-date land information system containing a record of interests in land (e.g. rights, restrictions and responsibilities).

It usually includes a geometric description of land parcels linked to other records describing the nature of the interests, the ownership or control of those interests, and often the value of the parcel and its improvements (from FIG Statement on the Cadastre).

At national level, a cadastre is prerequisite for:

• Efficient land administration including land regulation and administration of rights and obligations.
• Transparent real property market.
• Property valuation and taxation.
• Environmental regulation ensuring sustainable development.