The Whole World’s Already Mapped… Or Is It?

„What do you even do at Regio these days? Isn’t everything already mapped and online?“

We hear this question again and again. And sure, at first glance, it makes sense – maps are everywhere: in our pockets, on our screens, built into our cars. Streets appear to be mapped, cities are in place, and when in doubt – just Google it, right?

But the world doesn’t stand still

At Regio, we see changes happen every single day – new roads being built, old ones closed, new neighborhoods popping up, signs going up, addresses changing. And no, these things don’t just magically show up on a map. Someone has to notice them, check them, and map them. That’s what we do.

Maps and Geodata – our everyday world

In short, we create, collect, enrich, and visualize map data. Yes – even in this digital age, we still work with paper maps too – atlases, wall maps, travel guides, and custom-made editions. We believe paper maps aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They have value, they have purpose, and yes, they have loyal fans.

Three Baltic countries, one standardized Data Model

Our second area of expertise is managing a database that covers the entire Baltic region – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are integrated into a uniform data structure that includes addresses, roads, navigation data, points of interest, and land use.

This lets us offer far more detailed and up-to-date geospatial data than the big global data providers.

Geospatial Data Expertise, when you need it most

Our third and growing area is geospatial data expertise. We help organizations that don’t have a GIS team or addressing the shortage of geoinformatics professionals. We handle everything from data collection and annotation to validation, correction, standardization, and analysis.

All of these activities – from initial data collection to the final map you see – are tightly interwoven. That’s why we say: maps are never really finished. They grow and change with the world.

And this is just what we talked about with Raimu Hanson, a journalist from Tartu Postimees. That lovely chat, published in May 2025, inspired this very blog post.

At least one new street… Every day!

Across the three Baltic countries, an average of 75 new street names appear every month. But just knowing the street name isn’t enough – we need to verify it, check our sources, compare data, and only then can it be added to the database (and then the map).

Lithuania gets the most new street names because all addresses – even in the countryside – must use a street name and house number. In Estonia and Latvia, rural addresses often use farm names instead of street names.

And that’s not all. We also remove not valid names and verify and adjust the extent of each street’s alignment. Every street is checked: Where does it begin and end? Does the name still match reality? Because a good map starts with good data.

Street name showdown: most common vs. most complicated

Some fun facts: the most popular street name across the Baltics is some version of Garden Street (Aia in Estonian) – it’s in the top five in all three countries.

In Estonia, the leader of the pack is Pargi tänav (“Park Street”), appearing 140 times. Latvia’s most common is Skolas iela (“School Street”) with 222 instances, while Lithuania takes the crown with Liepų gatvė (“Linden Street”) – a name shared by an impressive 843 streets across the country.

Longest name? Lithuania wins that one hands down: Apolonijos Dalevskytės-Sierakauskienės skveras – 46 characters!

Estonia’s longest: Johann Wilhelm Friedrich Hezeli tänav – 37 characters.

Now just imagine trying to fit either of those into the window of a standard envelope. Yeah… not happening. Not even with your best effort.

Asphalt or gravel? Yes, we show the difference

Our maps don’t just show where roads go – they show what the road is actually like.

We clearly distinguish between surface types, whether it’s asphalt, gravel, or an unsurfaced road. That’s the kind of detail you won’t usually find in big international mapping apps.

We also keep track of other road characteristics, like location and geometry, width, speed limits, and other features. Since multiple attributes can change at once on any given stretch of road, keeping this information up to date is a big part of our everyday work.

Precision navigation data you won’t find anywhere else

Here’s something not everyone knows – Regio provides something no one else in Estonia does: unique, high-detail navigation data. And no, we’re not just talking about street names and road signs. Our database includes the number of lanes, speed limits, turn restrictions, time-based access rules, direction signs, warning symbols, and even vehicle-specific limitations like height, weight, and width.

This kind of precision makes Regio maps a trusted companion not just for everyday drivers and bus operators, but also for logistics companies who need spot-on routing every single day.

A hundred data sources, one map

If you think making a map is just a matter of “drawing a few lines and dots” – well, it’s not quite that simple.

We did the math: we use close to 100 different data sources to bring everything together – streets, roads, addresses, buildings, points of interest, and much more – into a single, unified database and map. One hundred sources!

It’s not an easy job. Sometimes it feels like putting together a puzzle where the pieces are made from different materials, some are missing, and a few are even flipped backwards. Our job is to make them all fit – to check, compare, and fix where needed.

It takes precision, experience, and a sharp eye for detail. But our clients don’t have to worry about any of that – we make sure the data is accurate, up to date, and reliable.

Web Maps deserve style too

These days, digital maps are mostly used in the same easy way – pick a route from point A to point B and hit the road. Quick and practical, yes, but it means everything just off the path often goes unnoticed. A charming hiking trail, a small museum, a local bakery, a scenic lookout – all too easily hidden in plain sight.

At Regio, we believe a map shouldn’t just guide you – it should also inspire you.
For us, a map isn’t just a tool, it’s a way to understand and appreciate the world around us. A digital map can be meaningful, clear, and easy to read – and still be a pleasure to look at.

We want to show that a map doesn’t have to be a dull background cluttered with random points. A web map can be aesthetic, thoughtful, and user-friendly, something people use not just out of need, but out of curiosity. Regio maps have both substance and style; maps you can trust and enjoy looking at.

Keeping tourism info up to date might just be the toughest challenge

If there’s one thing that’s genuinely hard to keep track of, it’s tourism information. At Regio, our tourism data isn’t just a list of attractions or services – it covers what you can actually see and do across the Baltics, from manor parks and hiking trails to farm shops and ice cream cafés.

When planning a trip, accurate info matters. One wrong opening time or a place that’s suddenly closed can flip your whole itinerary upside down. And the truth is – tourism data changes fast. Today it’s a cozy café, tomorrow it’s a cocktail bar. Gas stations and shops pop up like mushrooms after the rain. Even the biggest attractions can slip off the radar overnight.

Our job is to keep this ever-changing tourism info up to date – to monitor what’s changed and make sure what you see on the map reflects what’s actually out there.

We’re one of the few who can maintain such a broad and detailed tourism dataset for all three Baltic countries.

That’s why we check everything carefully – we read, compare, verify, and only then do we add it to our database. So, the map user doesn’t have to wonder whether that hiking trail still exists or if the museum is actually open.

For us, tourism info is like a good road sign: reliable, clear, and in the right place at the right time.

We make sure Estonia, and the Baltic region are represented on the map just as they are in real life. For us, mapping is never really finished – it’s an ongoing process that requires a sharp eye, a flexible mindset, and a bit of persistence too.

We love this work. So, the next time someone says, “Isn’t everything already mapped and online?”, we’ll simply say: “Maybe it is. But a lot has changed.”