OpenStreetMap, the Mapping Wiki, Reaches 1 Million Users

OpenStreetMap, the site that puts the wiki philosophy to work on a mapping project, has announced that it's now got one million users. These are registered users, i.e. everyone that created an account at any point since OpenStreetMap launched.

However, like Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap doesn't require a user profile to use, so anyone that signs up usually does so when they want to get involved with the project, mostly as a contributor. This is why the figure, while relatively small, is important.

"OpenStreetMap involves 'mass collaboration,' attracting large numbers of contributors all around the world to create a new map from scratch (without copying from existing maps)," the announcement [PDF] explained.

"Anyone can sign up at openstreetmap.org and add information about their neighbourhood to the map, using simple editing software," it added.

OpenStreetMap started 2012 with a little over half a million users and doubled that number in the past year. Granted, it's gotten some spotlight during that time, as its data was adopted by several big websites and companies.