Building Better Maps in Brazil, Israel, and Russia

Whether you’re exploring new places or your own hometown, you want an up-to-date, accurate map that gets you where you want to go quickly and easily. That’s why we’re launching our Ground Truth initiative in Brazil, Israel, and additional parts of Russia (including Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Volgograd). With Ground Truth data, we can improve a country’s map faster so that it accurately reflects the ever-changing world.

The newest Ground Truth update also gives all three countries the option to add local knowledge to the map with the Report a Problem tool. We’ve also relaunched Map Maker in Brazil, so you can add and update geographic information for millions of users to see in Google Maps and Google Earth. Now, from the bustling markets of Manaus to the dazzling coastline of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian map enthusiasts can directly contribute their local expertise for all the world to see with Google Map Maker.

In the updated maps for Brazil, Israel, and Russia, you can easily distinguish areas of interest with crisper, colored depictions of water bodies and greenery. For example, you can quickly identify Copacabana beach on the map by its yellow coloring, making it easier to find nearby restaurants or streets to explore.
Updates to the maps’ road priorities, turn restrictions, street names, and interchange signs make navigating the roads more accurate and efficient. For example, in Israel we’ve updated the recently extended Highway 22, helping residents and visitors quickly arrive at their destinations.
Easily identify points of interest, like national parks, hospitals, and universities, with improved highlighting and visual enhancements. In Israel, Tel Aviv University now shows detailed walking paths, named roads, building department labels, and even designated grounds for the sculpture garden and swimming pools.

More than 20 additional Russian regions will also see a more detailed map with this update. By highlighting major roads, greenery, and extensive networks of water bodies, the map now accurately displays the richness of localities like Kaliningrad.
With visually clearer and increasingly detailed Google Maps, exploring the breathtaking streets of Old Jerusalem or traversing the lush Amazon rainforest is just a click away.

Sophia Lin, Product Manager, Google Maps