Kartverket
Kartverket is Norway's national mapping authority, operating the cadastre, land registry, nautical charts, place-name register, and national aerial-photography archive for government, maritime, surveying, and public-sector users across Norway.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersHønefoss, Norway
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Kartverket does
Kartverket (Norwegian Mapping Authority) is the Norwegian state agency responsible for national mapping, cadastre (Matrikkelen), land registry (Grunnboka), nautical charting, official place names, elevation data, and aerial-photography archives. Operating under the Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet, it serves all of Norway with offices in Hønefoss (headquarters/PO box), Oslo, Bergen, and Stavanger, and through regional county offices. Its core technology stack comprises national geospatial databases, the Matrikkelen cadastre, the Grunnboka land registry, the Sentralt stadnamnregister (SSR) for place names, the Nasjonalt register over luftfartshindre (NRL) for aviation obstacles, marine seabed mapping products, water-level measurement networks, and free WMS/WFS APIs. Distribution is delivered via self-service web platforms (kartverket.no, norgeskart.no, geonorge.no, norgeibilder.no), an authorized distributor network of over 25 resellers, and the Norwegian Hydrographic Service for bathymetric and nautical-chart products.
The business model combines direct government budget appropriation, fee-based tinglysing (property registration) revenue, data licensing through authorized distributors for premium orthophotos and detailed topographical products, and free open-data releases under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. Customer segments span Norwegian public administration (all 356+ municipalities, county administrations, and national agencies as the primary segment), maritime operators, construction and surveying professionals, research and education, and the general public. The agency operates two strategic collaboration frameworks: Norge digitalt (a 495-organization public-private data-sharing partnership anchored in the Geodataloven) and Geovekst (a co-funded mapping cooperation with Statens vegvesen, NVE, Bane NOR, Telenor, municipalities, and the Ministry of Agriculture). The estimated societal value of Kartverket's shared solutions is 30 billion NOK.
Kartverket firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kartverket
- Legal name
- Kartverket (Statens kartverk)
- Website
- https://kartverket.no
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Kartverket is Norway's national mapping authority, operating the cadastre, land registry, nautical charts, place-name register, and national aerial-photography archive for government, maritime, surveying, and public-sector users across Norway.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kartverket industry classification
Industry- Product category
- National Geospatial Infrastructure and Property Registration
- NAICS
- Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (54137), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Land Administration & Cadastral Services (Public Land Records, Parcel Management) (BPAIANAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms (BPAMANAK), Geospatial Data Management & Enterprise GIS (Geodatabases, Web GIS, Spatial Analytics) (EUAHAKAC)
Keywords
Where Kartverket is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hønefoss
- HQ country
- Norway
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
Kartverket business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Primary funding from government budget through Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet (Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development). Annual reports and allocation letters define funding.
- Data Licensing and Sales: Revenue from selling detailed geospatial data, orthophotos at detailed scales, and specialized products through authorized distributors.
- Tinglysing Fees: Fees collected for property registration and document filing services through the tinglysingsregisteret.
- Free Open Data Services: Core datasets released as open data under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0, available free of charge for all users.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Open Data - Free Access |
| Subscription | Annual | Premium Data Products |
| Other | Multi-year contract | High-Resolution Bathymetric Data |
| Subscription | Annual | Norge Digitalt Partnership Access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels10 records
Kartverket product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kartverket operates Norway's national geospatial infrastructure, maintaining the property registers (Grunnboka and Matrikkelen), producing official topographic maps and nautical charts, and managing national datasets for place names, elevation, aerial photography, and aviation obstacles. The agency delivers these through self-service web portals, open data APIs, fee-based registration services, and a cooperative framework involving 495 partner organizations, with an estimated NOK 30 billion in societal value from shared solutions.
Product overview
Kartverket (the Norwegian Mapping Authority) operates a national infrastructure for geoinformation and property data, organized as a platform-plus-products portfolio. The core comprises three integrated systems: Grunnboka (the national property register) and Matrikkelen (the cadastre), which together form the authoritative source for property ownership, boundaries, and rights in Norway; the national mapping and geodata infrastructure serving all of Norway through products such as Norgeskart.no (digital map portal), Norge i bilder (orthophoto and historical aerial imagery), Geonorge (the national map data portal), Høydedata.no (elevation data), and historical map archives; and sector-specific offerings including sea charts, the Central Place Name Register (SSR), the National Register of Aviation Obstacles, and the Marine Basic Maps project. These operate within broader cooperative frameworks — Norge digitalt (a 495-party national data-sharing partnership anchored in the Geodataloven) and Geovekst (a cooperative with public agencies and utilities) — and are delivered via open data APIs (WMS, WFS, cache services) for professional developers. The societal value of the national shared solutions is estimated at 30 billion NOK.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Norge digitalt: National cooperation for producing, sharing and using geographic information in Norway with 495 participating organizations
- Geovekst
- Norge i bilder
- Geonorge
Products and services
- Grunnboka (Property Register) National public property register recording property ownership, rights, and encumbrances in Norway, operated by Kartverket in conjunction with Matrikkelen (the cadastre).
- Matrikkelen (Cadastre) National cadastre recording property units, boundaries, and property-related information, managed by local municipal authorities under Kartverket's central oversight.
- Norgeskart.no Digital map portal offering continuously updated map data and detailed maps of all of Norway, available with an English-language menu for general users.
- Norge i bilder (norgeibilder.no) Free viewing solution providing orthophoto (georeferenced aerial photographs) and historical aerial imagery of all of Norway. Norway Digital partners have extended rights including download, WMS/WMTS access, and additional data.
- Sentralt stadnamnregister (SSR) — Central Register of Place Names Official register of place names in Norway managed by Kartverket, containing approved spellings, naming decisions, location data, language type, and object type. Used in Kartverket's maps and externally in hiking maps and weather services.
- Geonorge National web portal for map data and other geocoded information in Norway, operated by Kartverket. Provides a map catalogue for searching, viewing, and downloading open geographic datasets.
- Historiske kart — Historical Maps Archive of thousands of historical maps available for free download, including kvadratmilkart, rektangelkart, amtskart, and gradteigskart series.
- Høydedata.no — Elevation Data Precise elevation data covering every square meter of Norway. Elevation models are produced from aerial photography via image matching and are available for viewing and free download.
- Sentralarkiv for flyfoto — Central Archive of Aerial Photography Archive of aerial photographs and satellite images containing more than 1.3 million vertical images. The archive holds originals of all aerial photographs taken in Norway from 1935 to the present.
- Marine grunnkart i kystsonen — Marine Basic Maps in the Coastal Zone Project producing detailed marine geospatial data for Norway's coastal zone, including depth mapping, geology, natural habitats, and environmental conditions. Conducted jointly with NGU and the Institute of Marine Research.
- Nasjonalt register over luftfartshindre (NRL) — National Register of Aviation Obstacles Digital register of man-made objects that may constitute a risk to aviation, maintained by Kartverket.
- WMS/WFS/Cache Services (API) Free web services (WMS, WFS, cache services, search services, and processing services) enabling developers to embed mapping data into their own websites and applications. Covers topographical maps and thematic maps in multiple formats including SOSI, PostGIS, ESRI File Geodatabase, GML, USGS, and DEM.
Quantifiable outcome
- Estimated 30 billion NOK in social value from national shared geodata solutions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Kartverket
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Kartverket technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature8 records
Kartverket partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Norge Digitalt Partners (495 organizations)coreNational collaboration for producing, sharing, and using geographic information. Parties include municipalities, county administrations, national agencies, and private companies. Governed by geodataloven requiring geographic data owners to make data available for public and private purposes. Kartverket serves as geodata coordinator with secretariat function.
- Geovekst Collaboration PartnerscoreGeovekst is a collaboration for establishment, management, and use of geographic information including: Kartverket, Statens vegvesen (Public Roads Administration), NVE (Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate), Bane NOR, Fornybar Norge, Telenor, municipalities, county administrations, and Landbruksdepartementet with its subordinate agencies.
- Norkart ASminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets detailed geospatial data products including orthophotos and topographical data.
- NorconsultminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets geospatial data products for professional consulting services.
- RambøllminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets geospatial data products for engineering and consulting projects.
- Cowi ASminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets geospatial data products for engineering and planning services.
- Asplan Viak ASminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets geospatial data products for planning and analysis services.
- Allkopi Netprint ASminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets map and geospatial data products.
- Ambita ASminorAuthorized distributor of Kartverkets geospatial data products.
- Statsforvalterens fellestjenestercoreCo-funder of the national aerial photography program (omløpsfotografering) providing regular coverage of mainland Norway.
- Norsk institutt for bioøkonomi (NIBIO)coreCo-funder of the national aerial photography program contributing to land use and agricultural mapping.
- NGU (Geological Survey of Norway)coreCollaboration on Marine grunnkart (marine seabed mapping) project, with NGU studying geology and environmental conditions.
- Havforskningsinstituttet (Institute of Marine Research)coreCollaboration on Marine grunnkart project, with the institute studying nature types and environmental conditions in coastal zones.
- Mareano-programmetcoreCollaboration on comprehensive seabed mapping in Norwegian waters, combining bathymetric data with geological and biological surveys.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kartverket competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Esri: Global commercial leader in GIS software and platform services — provides the ArcGIS platform technology (which Kartverket uses in Norge i bilder) and competes in adjacent commercial segments with Kartverket's premium data offerings.
- U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): U.S. federal scientific agency providing topographic mapping, geological surveys, and Earth observation data — operates at far greater scope and scale than Kartverket but overlaps significantly on national mapping and aerial imagery mandates.
Direct peers
- Maanmittauslaitos (National Land Survey of Finland): Finnish national agency responsible for land surveying, cadastre, and topographic mapping — directly comparable in the Nordic context, especially given similar terrain and municipal structures.
- Kadaster (Netherlands Land Registry and Mapping Agency): Operates the Dutch land registry and cadastre alongside large-scale national geodata services, mirroring Kartverket's blend of legally authoritative property data and topographic mapping under a single state agency.
- Ordnance Survey: The UK's national mapping agency providing authoritative geographic data and APIs (OS OpenData, OS APIs) on a comparable scale; serves as a leading benchmark for monetizing open-data-plus-premium data products.
- Lantmäteriet (Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority): Sweden's national authority combining mapping, cadastral registration, and land registration — the closest functional analog to Kartverket, sharing the dual role of geodata infrastructure provider and statutory property register operator.
- Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN France): France's national mapping and forestry information agency — operates national topographic databases, aerial imagery programs, and serves as geodata reference for public and private sectors.
- swisstopo (Federal Office of Topography): Swiss federal geodata authority providing high-precision topographic data, elevation models, and historical maps — comparable in delivering high-quality national mapping and aerial imagery services.
- Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG, Germany): German federal agency for cartography and geodesy — provides national geodata infrastructure including reference systems, topographic data, and elevation models comparable to Kartverket's offerings.
- Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Effektivisering (SDFE, Denmark): Danish agency for data supply and efficiency operating national geospatial infrastructure and basic data — directly comparable Nordic agency with adjacent organizational structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kartverket social profiles
Digital presenceKartverket financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kartverket leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Kartverket funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kartverket M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kartverket
What does Kartverket do?
Kartverket operates Norway's national geospatial infrastructure, maintaining the property registers (Grunnboka and Matrikkelen), producing official topographic maps and nautical charts, and managing national datasets for place names, elevation, aerial photography, and aviation obstacles. The agency delivers these through self-service web portals, open data APIs, fee-based registration services, and a cooperative framework involving 495 partner organizations, with an estimated NOK 30 billion in societal value from shared solutions.
Is Kartverket a public or private company?
Kartverket is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Kartverket founded?
Kartverket was founded in 2018. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Kartverket based?
Kartverket is headquartered in Hønefoss, Norway, in the Europe region.
How does Kartverket make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are data Licensing and Sales, tinglysing Fees and free Open Data Services.
Who are Kartverket's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Esri and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Direct peers are Maanmittauslaitos (National Land Survey of Finland), Kadaster (Netherlands Land Registry and Mapping Agency), Ordnance Survey, Lantmäteriet (Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority), Institut national de l'information géographique et forestière (IGN France), swisstopo (Federal Office of Topography), Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG, Germany) and Styrelsen for Dataforsyning og Effektivisering (SDFE, Denmark).
Does Kartverket have an API?
Yes. The Norwegian Mapping Authority offers free WMS (Web Map Service), WFS (Web Feature Service), and cache services, as well as search services and processing services for system developers, programmers, and others who wish to use mapping data on their own websites and in their own mapping solutions. These services collect data from topographical maps and thematic maps. Data formats include: boundaries, road data, and place names (SOSI and PostGIS formats); elevation models (USGS and DEM formats); N50-N5000 topographical land data (ESRI File Geodatabase format, GML, SOSI, and PostGIS). The map datasets are released in forms as close to the original as possible to provide professional developers with maximum flexibility. Developer documentation is at www.geonorge.no/en.
What industry is Kartverket in?
Kartverket's product category is National Geospatial Infrastructure and Property Registration. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAH, Land Administration & Cadastral Services (Public Land Records, Parcel Management), with a secondary code of BPAMANAK, GIS & Spatial Data Management Platforms. Its NAICS code is 54137.