About FAO News Multimedia Main topics Statistics Members Publications

Geospatial information for sustainable food systems

International standards

ISO 19144 series for geographic information classification system structure

The ISO 19144 series, developed in partnership by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), provides a standardized meta-language designed to harmonize diverse land classification systems. The 19144 series consists of following parts, under the general title Geographic information — Classification systems

ISO 19144-1: Classification system structure

The concept of classification systems is well known in the geographic information community. A classification system can be used to subdivide any geographic area into small units, each of which carries an identifier that describes its type. The  ISO 19144-1:2009/Cor 1:2012 establishes the structure of a geographic information classification system, together with the mechanism for defining and registering the classifiers for such a system. It specifies the use of discrete coverages to represent the result of applying the classification system to a particular area and defines the technical structure of a register of classifiers.

ISO 19144-2: Land Cover Meta Language (LCML)

The Land Cover Meta Language (LCML) expressed as a UML metamodel that allows each different Land Cover Classification Systems (LCCS) to be described based on its physiognomic aspects. The ISO 19144-2 also specifies the detailed structure of a register for the extension of LCML but does not specify the maintenance of the register. The LCML recognizes that there exists a number of LCCSs. It provides a common reference structure for the comparison and integration of data for any generic LCCS but does not intend to replace those classification systems.

The LCML works by creating a set of standard diagnostic attributes (LCML basic object and their properties and characteristics) to describe or create different land cover features. A land cover class (LCC) is defined by LCML object(s) as "biotic" or "abiotic", organized in horizontal or vertical patterns and other temporal relationships. The LCML objects can be customized by adding additional attributes of land use and land cover characteristics (such as climate, landform and topography). All the rules and conditions of the meta-language are embedded in a user-friendly software (LCCS v3 and the Land CHaracterization Systeme[LCHS]) that allows the creation, editing and export of LCML-based legends.

The second edition of LCML (ISO 19144-2:2023) cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 19144-2:2012), which has been technically revised.

ISO 19144-3: Land Use Meta Language (LUML)

The Land Use Meta Language (LUML) expressed as a UML metamodel that allows different land use classification systems to be described. This part of ISO 19144 series recognizes that there are a number of LCCS in existence. It provides a common reference structure for the comparison and integration of data for any generic LCCS but does not intend to replace those classification systems. The LUML complements ISO 19144-2/LCML and can be used independently to describe land use or together with ISO 19144-2 to describe a combined land cover and land use.

 

The following part is under preparation:

ISO 19144-4: Registration and implementation aspects

This part of ISO 19144 specifies a methodology for the registration of land cover and land use classification systems, together with a mechanism of registration of the elements needed to extend either of the land cover or land use meta languages as described in ISO 19144–2 (LCML) and ISO 19144–3 (LUML). In addition, this part of ISO 19144 describes supporting implementation aspects that assist in the recording of registered systems or elements, and for the encoding of the description of these systems and elements for inclusion in an ISO register. 


Metadata standard for geographic information

The standardized description of the datasets included in the FAO Agro-Informatic Catalog is based on the metadata standard, approved by the international community in April 2003 as a tool to define metadata in the field of geographic information. 

The ISO 19115:2003 standard defines how geographic information, and related services should be described, providing mandatory and conditional metadata sections, metadata entities and metadata elements. This standard applies to data series, independent datasets, individual geographic features and feature properties. Despite ISO 19115:2003 being designed for digital data, its principles can be extended to many other forms of geographic data such as maps, charts, and textual documents, as well as nongeographic data. The underlying format of an ISO 19115:2003 compliant metadata is Extensible Markup Language (XML). The Agro-Informatic platform uses the ISO Technical Specification  Geographic information - Metadata - XML schema implementation for the encoding of this XML.