Spatial Entity Classification Standard (SpECS): A Proposed Standard for South Africa

Abstract

This paper describes the Spatial Entity Classification Standard (SpECS), which has been proposed as a standard for classifying digital geographical data in South Africa, for use in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The paper begins with a detailed outline of the need for such classification standards and describes the different types of classification schemes that are used: linear list, fixed-level hierarchy, variable-level hierarchy and partially-ordered set. It also describes how nonspatial attributes are managed and how such schemes are encoded. After describing briefly a few other classification standards, the paper describes SpECS in detail, as well as the SpECS software tool, which can be used for creating and maintaining any classification scheme. A complete listing of the current version of SpECS is provided in an appendix.