cadastres

A cadastre is a public register and map of land parcels within a defined area, recording the location, extent, value, and ownership of real property. It is a core component of many countries’ land administration systems and is maintained by a government authority.

Core components include a cadastral map showing parcel boundaries and geometry, and a cadastral record describing each parcel’s legal description, owner, area, land use, and any rights or restrictions such as mortgages or easements. Many systems also record assessed value for taxation.

Purposes include establishing property rights, supporting taxation and planning, enabling land transactions, and informing natural resource management and risk assessment. A reliable cadastre provides authoritative boundary evidence, reduces disputes, and enhances transparency in land markets.

Cadastres may be integrated with land registries or operate as separate but linked systems. Some countries maintain a fiscal (tax) cadastre, others a legal (title) cadastre, and many now pursue an integrated, GIS-based approach.

Historically cadastres arose in Europe for taxation. Modern cadastres are digital, often GIS-enabled, and may be aligned with international standards such as the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) to improve interoperability across jurisdictions.

Benefits include secure land tenure, efficient taxation, planning, and land management. Challenges involve ensuring data accuracy, keeping records up to date, safeguarding privacy, and financing maintenance for large, often rapidly changing, jurisdictions.