Today, December 06, 2016, IBGE makes available an updated version of the Continuous Cartographic Base of Brazil on the millionth scale (1 cm = 10 km). This new version brings revisions of the topological structure and on the toponomy, besides updated information on Hydrography, Relief, Localities, Borders, Transportation System, Energy and Communications, Economic Structure and Vegetation. The Continuous Cartographic Base of Brazil on the millionth scale is available here.

The Continuous Cartographic Base of Brazil to the millionth scale (BCIM) has, among its main applications and products: the planning and management of governmental programs with a focus on territory; the analyses which demand a combined view of the country, its Major Regions and States); the elaboration of maps at smaller scales (series maps for Brazil, Major Regions, States and Atlases); the representation of thematic aspects of the territory (statistics, natural resources and environmental research).

Its has been modeled according to the Technical Specifications for the Structuring of Vector Geospatial Data in version 2.1.3 (ET-EDGV v2.1.3), encompassing nine of the 13 possible categories of information (hydrografy, relief, localities, borders, transportation system, economic structure, energy and communications, public administration and vegetation). Regarding the geodetic and cartographic references, the Base is in accordance with the regulation currently in effect, using the SIRGAS 2000 reference system, with a system of geographic coordinates.

BCIM is available in open format (shapefile, geopacked and database dump, PostGIS), to be used in Geographic Information Systems, being compatible with different appropriate softwares.

This new version is part of the Ongoing Update Program of BCIM, which aims at providing society with a digital cartographic base, on the 1:1.000.000 scale, making it possible to access information relative to positioning, geographic names and classification of the elements represented.

Cartographic information come from mapping at larger scales, from remote sensing imputs, from IBGE partner bodies and from local knowledge, by means of Cartographic and Geodetic Departments (GGC).