Germany is the world champion in terms of maps the map Portal Mapedo.de is one for Germany 17000 maps for various purposes. In tourist areas such as the Black Forest, there are up to 41 maps, including, for example, maps for the Schluchsee 13 different for each point. But the market for maps is changing rapidly. In the economic crisis, the customer has refused not on the trip, but on the travel guide. Recovery but is now not in sight: against the trend to the car navigation systems, online maps and guides, the digital offerings for PC and GPS device of the market for the classic maps and travel guides seems helpless.
Ulf Amann, operator of Mapedo.de, explains the variety of cards available in Germany not alone so that the Germans like to spend your leisure time actively out there and need maps for this. Because Germany has a long tradition of the map. In the course of development to a modern community, each square meter was since the first surveys in the 18th century in detailed official maps, the precursor for any leisure map, displayed and documented since any change. Also, each State has its own measurement authority. A variety of competing and often very small map publishers uses the official card basics to make leisure Maps for the region. This is different, for example, in the centralized France. There is a State map publishing house, which produces almost all leisure titles in addition to the official maps.
Another reason is as amazing as this may sound, the democratic system of the Federal Republic. In countries such as Turkey, no detailed maps are to buy even though there is this: the military does not allow a sale for security reasons. In young democracies such as Spain and the Eastern European States, first publishers develop a growing range of leisure maps only in recent years in connection with the growing outdoor tourism.