The use of geographic information systems in development planning in Latin America

In Anglo-America planning and technology often accommodate dominant middle income society. However, in Latin America the population majority is low income. Values, technology, management styles and patterns of settlement differ. The roles of development planners and attitudes toward United States based technology also differ. Recent conferences in Latin America on the use of geographic information system (GISs) reflect current applications of GIS and impediments to technology transfer. Recent training and transfer of GIS technology by the Organization of American States (OAS) is discussed. It is concluded that there is a need to examine the relationship between styles of planning and the usefulness of GIS and to draw conclusions within a Latin American context. -Author