11-20, 11:30–11:55 (Pacific/Auckland), WG126
The United Nations Vector Tile Toolkit (UNVT) is a collection of Open Source Software (OSS) to produce, host, style and optimize vector tiles. This session introduces how the UN uses this technology in web mapping.
Vector tile technology is becoming more popular due to its various advantages. Vector tiles are smaller in size, allow for dynamic styling without regenerating the tiles, and improve performance for end users. These features make vector tiles useful for base maps in the United Nations.
The United Nations Vector Tile Toolkit (UNVT) was established in 2018 under the UN Open GIS Initiative, and has provided various tools to support the use of vector tiles. UNVT has grown with the help of many contributors, including the UN Smart Maps Group, which works under the initiative to develop a wide range of features. In the United Nations, UNVT plays a key role in three main processes: Produce, Style, and Host. The following is an overview of each process.
Produce:
Vector tiles are generated by extracting geospatial data from a PostGIS database and converting it using Node.js scripts and Tippecanoe. By selectively removing unnecessary attributes and simplifying geometries, we reduce data size, leading to faster rendering and improved performance for web users. In addition, we update our priority areas daily and run the scripts as a scheduled task to minimize manual effort.
Style:
unvt/charites is an easy-to-use, intuitive, and efficient command-line tool for managing vector map styles. With Charites, a long style JSON file can be split into multiple smaller YAML files—one per layer—making it much easier to edit styles. It also provides a convenient live style viewer in a local browser, where changes are reflected immediately.
Host:
We have developed a simple Node.js-based vector tile hosting server that delivers PBF files derived from MBTiles in response to each request. The map is rendered using MapLibre GL JS. Additionally, we have created an interface for ArcGIS Online to enable the map to be displayed within the UN system.
This session will showcase practical use cases, technical implementation details, and lessons learned through the adoption of vector tile technology in the UN context. It will be relevant to GIS professionals, developers, and organizations looking to modernize their web mapping infrastructure using open source tools.
Our toolkit is available on our GitHub account:
https://github.com/unvt
Senior Geospatial Expert at the United Nations with over 10 years of experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and web mapping technologies. Member of the UN Smart Maps Group under the UN Open GIS Initiative, contributing to the development of open-source tools that support UN operations globally.