ISO 19115:2003/19139

ISO 19115:2003 defines the schema required for describing geographic information and services. It provides information about the identification, the extent, the quality, the spatial and temporal schema, spatial reference, and distribution of digital geographic data.

ISO 19115:2003 is applicable to:

• the cataloguing of datasets, clearinghouse activities, and the full description of datasets;
• geographic datasets, dataset series, and individual geographic features and feature properties.

ISO 19115:2003 defines:

• mandatory and conditional metadata sections, metadata entities, and metadata elements;
• the minimum set of metadata required to serve the full range of metadata applications (data discovery, determining data fitness for use, data access, data transfer, and use of digital data);
• optional metadata elements - to allow for a more extensive standard description of geographic data, if required;
• a method for extending metadata to fit specialized needs.

ISO 19139 provides the XML implementation schema for ISO 19115 specifying the metadata record format and may be used to describe, validate, and exchange geospatial metadata prepared in XML.

Model

<gmd:MD_Metadata id="" uuid="" xmlns:gmd="http://www.isotc211.org/2005/gmd">
  <gmd:fileIdentifier>{0,1}</gmd:fileIdentifier>
  <gmd:language>{0,1}</gmd:language>
  <gmd:characterSet>{0,1}</gmd:characterSet>
  <gmd:parentIdentifier>{0,1}</gmd:parentIdentifier>
  <gmd:hierarchyLevel>{0,unbounded}</gmd:hierarchyLevel>
  <gmd:hierarchyLevelName>{0,unbounded}</gmd:hierarchyLevelName>
  <gmd:contact>{1,unbounded}</gmd:contact>
  <gmd:dateStamp>{1,1}</gmd:dateStamp>
  <gmd:metadataStandardName>{0,1}</gmd:metadataStandardName>
  <gmd:metadataStandardVersion>{0,1}</gmd:metadataStandardVersion>
  <gmd:dataSetURI>{0,1}</gmd:dataSetURI>
  <gmd:locale>{0,unbounded}</gmd:locale>
  <gmd:spatialRepresentationInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:spatialRepresentationInfo>
  <gmd:referenceSystemInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:referenceSystemInfo>
  <gmd:metadataExtensionInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:metadataExtensionInfo>
  <gmd:identificationInfo>{1,unbounded}</gmd:identificationInfo>
  <gmd:contentInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:contentInfo>
  <gmd:distributionInfo>{0,1}</gmd:distributionInfo>
  <gmd:dataQualityInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:dataQualityInfo>
  <gmd:portrayalCatalogueInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:portrayalCatalogueInfo>
  <gmd:metadataConstraints>{0,unbounded}</gmd:metadataConstraints>
  <gmd:applicationSchemaInfo>{0,unbounded}</gmd:applicationSchemaInfo>
  <gmd:metadataMaintenance>{0,1}</gmd:metadataMaintenance>
  <gmd:series>{0,unbounded}</gmd:series>
  <gmd:describes>{0,unbounded}</gmd:describes>
  <gmd:propertyType>{0,unbounded}</gmd:propertyType>
  <gmd:featureType>{0,unbounded}</gmd:featureType>
  <gmd:featureAttribute>{0,unbounded}</gmd:featureAttribute>
</gmd:MD_Metadata>

Core

Metadata information (MD_Metadata)
1	fileIdentifier (M)
2	language (M)
3	characterSet (C)
4	Hierarchylevel (M)
5	Contact (O)	IndividualName (O)
		OrganisationName (O)
		PositionName (O)
		Role (O)
		contactInfo (O)	Phone (C)
			address (C)
			OnlineResource (C)
6	dateStamp (O)
7	metadataStandardName (O)
8	metadataStandardVersion (O)
9	spatialrepresentationinfo (O)	topologyLevel
		geometryObjects
MD_Identification - MD_DataIdentification
10	title
	date	Date
		dateType
	edition
	presentationform
11	abstract (M)
12	Purpose (M)
13	ResourceMaintenance (O)	maintenanceAndUpdateFrequency
14	Graphicoverview (O)	Filename
		fileDescription
		fileType
15	DescriptiveKeywords (M)	keyword
		type
		thesaurusName
16	Language (M)
17	CharacterSet (C)
18	topicCatergory (O)
19	Extent (O)	westBoundLongitude (O)
		eastBoundLongitude (O)
		southBoundLongitude (O)
		northBoundLongitude (O)
20	Supplementalinfo (O)
MD_Constraints
21	UseLimitation (M)
22	AccessConstraints (M)
23	UseConstraints (M)
MD_Distribution
24	Transferoptions (O)

Metadata package data dictionaries

This data dictionary describes the characteristics of the metadata defined in ISO 19115. The dictionary is specified in a hierarchy to establish relationships and an organization for the information.

Note:

• "Obligation / Condition" is a descriptor indicating whether a metadata entity or metadata element shall always be documented in the metadata or sometimes be documented (i.e. contains value(s)). This descriptor may have the following values: M (mandatory), C (conditional), or O (optional).

• "Maximum occurrence" specifies the maximum number of instances the metadata entity or the metadata element may have. Single occurrences are shown by “1”; repeating occurrences are represented by “N”. Fixed number occurrences other than one are allowed, and will be represented by the corresponding number (i.e. “2”, “3”...etc).

Metadata entity set information

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
1	MD_Metadata	root entity which defines metadata about a resource or resources	M	1	Class	Lines 2-13
2	fileIdentifier	unique identifier for this metadata file	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
3	language	language used for documenting metadata	C	1	CharacterString	?
4	characterSet	full name of the character coding standard used for the metadata set	C	1	Class	MD_CharacterSetCode <<CodeList>>
5	hierarchyLevel	scope to which the metadata applies	C	N	Class	MD_ScopeCode <<CodeList>>
6	contact	party responsible for the metadata information	M	1	Class	CI_ResponsibleParty <<DataType>>
7	dateStamp	date that the metadata was created	M	1	Class	Date
8	metadataStandardName	name of the metadata standard (including profile name) used	O	1	CharacterString	FreeText
9	metadataStandardVersion	version (profile) of the metadata standard used	O	1	CharacterString	FreeText
10	spatialRepresentationInfo	digital representation of spatial information in the dataset	O	N	Association	MD_ReferenceSystem
11	identificationInfo	basic information about the resource(s) to which the metadata applies	M	N	Association	MD_Identification <<Abstract>>
12	distributionInfo	provides information about the distributor of and options for obtaining the resource(s)	O	1	Association	MD_Distribution <<Abstract>>
13	metadataConstraints	provieds restrictions on the access and use of metada	O	N	Association	MD_Constraints

MD_Identification

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
14	MD_Identification	basic information required to uniquely identify a resource or resources	M	1	Aggregated Class (MD_Metadata) <<Abstract>>	Lines 15-25
15	citation	citation data for the resource(s)	M	1	Class	CI_Citation
16	abstract	brief narrative summary of the content of the resource(s)	M	1	CharacterString	Free text
17	purpose	summary of the intentions with which the resource(s) was developed	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
18	resourceMaintenace	provieds information about the frequency of resources updates, and the scope of those updates	O	N	Association	MD_MaintenanceInformation
19	graphicOverview	provides a graphic that illustrates the resource(s) (should include a legend for the graphic)	O	N	Association	MD_BrowseGraphic
20	descriptiveKeywords	provides category keywords, their type, and reference source	O	N	Association	MD_Keywords
21	language	language(s) used within the dataset	M	N	CharacterString	ISO 639-2, other parts may be used
22	characterSet	full name of the character coding standard used for the dataset	C/ISO/IEC 10646-1 not used	N	Class	MD_CharacterSetCode <<CodeList>>
23	topicCategory	main theme(s) of the dataset	C / if hierarchyLevel equals "dataset"	N	Class	MD_TopicCategoryCode
24	extent	extent information including the bounding box, bounding polygon, vertical, and temporal extent of the dataset	C / if hierarchyLevel equals "dataset"	N	Class	EX_Extent <<DataType>>
25	supplementalInformation	any other descriptive information about the dataset	O	1	CharacterString	Free text

MD_BrowseGraphic

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
26	MD_BrowseGraphic	graphic that provides an illustration of the database (shold include a legend for the graphic)	Use obligation from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Aggregated Class (MD_Identification)	Lines 27-29
27	filName	name of the file that contains a graphic that provides an illustration of the dataset	M	1	CharacterString	Free text
28	fileDescription	text description of the illustration	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
29	purpose	summary of the intentions with which the resource(s) was developed	O	1	CharacterString	Free text

MD_Keyword

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
30	MD_Keyword	keywords, their type and reference source	Use obligation from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Aggregated Class (MD_Identification)	Lines 31-33
31	keyword	commonly used word(s) or formalised word(s) or phrase(s) used to describe the subject	M	N	CharacterString	Free text
32	type	subject matter used to group similiar keywords	O	1	Class	MD_KeywordTypeCode <<CodeList>>
33	thesaurusName	name of the formally registered thesaurus or a similar authoritative source of keywords	O	1	CharacterString	CI_Citation <<DataType>>

CI_Citation

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
34	CI_Citation	standardized resource reference	Use obligation from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Class <<DataType>>	Lines 35-38
35	title	name by which the cited resource is known	M	1	CharacterString	Free text
36	date	reference date for the cited resource	M	N	Class	CI_Date <<DataType>>
37	edition	version of the cited resource	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
38	presentationForm	mode in which the resource is represented	O	1	CharacterString	CI_PresentationFormCode <<CodeList>>

MD_Distribution

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
39	MD_Distribution	information about the distributor of and options for obtaining the resource	Use obligation/condition from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Aggregated Class (MD_Metadata)	Lines 40
40	transferOptions	provides information about technical means and media by which a resource is obtained from the distributor	O	N	Association	MD_DigitalTransferOptions

MD_DigitalTransferOptions

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
41	MD_DigitalTransferOptions	technical means and media by which a resource is obtained from the distributor	Use obligation/condition from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Aggregated Class (MD_Distribution and MD_Distributor)	Lines 42
42	online	information about online sources from which the resource can be obtained	O	N	Class	CI_OnlineResource

CI_OnlineResource

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
43	CI_OnlineResource	information about online sources from which the dataset, specification, or community profile name and extended metadata elements can be obtained	Use obligation/condition from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Class <<DataType>>	Lines 44-47
44	linkage	location (address) from on-line access using a Uniform Resource Locator address or similar addressing scheme	M	1	Class	URL
45	protocol	connection protocol to be used	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
46	name	name of the online resource	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
47	description	detailed text description of what the online resource is/does	O	1	CharacterString	Free text

MD_CharacterSetCode

Values:

big5, ebcdic, eucJP, eucKR, jis, shiftJIS, ucs2, ucs4, usAscii, utf16, utf7, utf8, 
_8859part1, _8859part11, _8859part14, _8859part15, _8859part2, _8859part3, _8859part4, _8859part5, _8859part6, _8859part7, _8859part8, _8859part9.

MD_ScopeCode

Name	Definition
attributeType	information applies to the characteristic of a feature
collectionHardware	information applies to the collection hardware class
collectionSession	information applies to the collection session
dataset	information applies to the dataset
series	information applies to the series
nonGeographicDataset	information applies to non-geographic data
dimensionGroup	information applies to a dimension group
feature	information applies to a feature
featureType	information applies to a feature type
propertyType	information applies to a property type
fieldSession	information applies to a field session
software	information applies to a computer program or routine
service	information applies to a capability which a service provider entity makes available to a service user entity through a set of interfaces that define a behaviour, such as a use case
model	information applies to a copy or imitation of an existing or hypothetical object
tile	information applies to a tile, a spatial subset of geographic data

MD_TopicCategoryCode

Name	Definition
farming	rearing of animals and/or cultivation of plants Examples: agriculture, irrigation, aquaculture, plantations, herding, pests and diseases affecting crops and livestock
biota	flora and/or fauna in natural environment Examples: wildlife, vegetation, biological sciences, ecology, wilderness, sealife, wetlands, habitat
boundaries	legal land descriptions Examples: political and administrative boundaries
climatologyMeteorologyAt mosphere	processes and phenomena of the atmosphere Examples: cloud cover, weather, climate, atmospheric conditions, climate change, recipitation economic activities, conditions and employment
economy	processes and phenomena of the atmosphere Examples: production, labour, revenue, commerce, industry, tourism and ecotourism, orestry, fisheries, commercial or subsistence hunting, exploration and exploitation of resources such as minerals, oil and gas
elevation	height above or below sea level Examples: altitude, bathymetry, digital elevation models, slope, derived products
environment	environmental resources, protection and conservation Examples: environmental pollution, waste storage and treatment, environmental impact assessment, monitoring environmental risk, nature reserves, landscape
geoscientificInformation	information pertaining to earth sciences Examples: geophysical features and processes, geology, minerals, sciences dealing with the composition, structure and origin of the earth’s rocks, risks of earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, gravity information, soils, permafrost, hydrogeology, erosion
health	health, health services, human ecology, and safety Examples: disease and illness, factors affecting health, hygiene, substance abuse, mental and physical health, health services
imageryBaseMapsEarthCover	base maps Examples: land cover, topographic maps, imagery, unclassified images, annotations
intelligenceMilitary	military bases, structures, activities Examples: barracks, training grounds, military transportation, information collection
inlandWaters	inland water features, drainage systems and their characteristics Examples: rivers and glaciers, salt lakes, water utilization plans, dams, currents, floods, water quality, hydrographic charts
location	positional information and services Examples: addresses, geodetic networks, control points, postal zones and services, place names
oceans	features and characteristics of salt water bodies (excluding inland waters) Examples: tides, tidal waves, coastal information, reefs
planningCadastre	information used for appropriate actions for future use of the land Examples: land use maps, zoning maps, cadastral surveys, land ownership
society	characteristics of society and cultures Examples: settlements, anthropology, archaeology, education, traditional beliefs, manners and customs, demographic data, recreational areas and activities, social impact assessments, crime and justice, census information
structure	man-made construction Examples: buildings, museums, churches, factories, housing, monuments, shops, towers
transportation	means and aids for conveying persons and/or goods Examples: roads, airports/airstrips, shipping routes, tunnels, nautical charts, vehicle or vessel location, aeronautical charts, railways 20.
utilitiesCommunication	energy, water and waste systems and communications infrastructure and services Examples: hydroelectricity, geothermal, solar and nuclear sources of energy, water purification and distribution, sewage collection and disposal, electricity and gas distribution, data communication, telecommunication, radio, communication networks

MD_KeywordTypeCode

Name	Definition
discipline	keyword identifies a branch of instruction or specialized learning
place	keyword identifies a location
stratum	keyword identifies the layer(s) of any deposited substance
temporal	keyword identifies a time period related to the dataset
theme	keyword identifies a particular subject or topic

MD_ReferenceSystem

This package contains the description of the spatial and temporal reference system(s) used in a dataset. MD_ReferenceSystem contains an element to identify the reference system used. MD_ReferenceSystem may be subclassed as MD_CRS, which is an aggregate of MD_ProjectionParameters and MD_EllipsoidParameters. MD_ProjectionParameters is an aggregate of MD_ObliqueLineAzimuth and MD_ObliqueLinePoint.

CI_OnlineResource

	Name	Definition	Obligation / Condition	Max occurrence	Data type	Domain
43	CI_OnlineResource	information about online sources from which the dataset, specification, or community profile name and extended metadata elements can be obtained	Use obligation/condition from referencing object	Use maximum occurrence from referencing object	Class <<DataType>>	Lines 44-
44	linkage	location (address) from on-line access using a Uniform Resource Locator address or similar addressing scheme	M	1	Class	URL
45	protocol	connection protocol to be used	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
46	name	name of the online resource	O	1	CharacterString	Free text
47	description	detailed text description of what the online resource is/does	O	1	CharacterString	Free text

MD_Constraints

This package contains information concerning the restrictions placed on data. The MD_Constraints entity is optional and may be specified as MD_LegalConstraints and/or MD_SecurityConstraints. The otherConstraint element of MD_LegalConstraints shall be non-zero (used) only if accessConstraints and/or useConstraints elements have a value of “otherRestrictions”, which is found in the MD_RestrictionCode codelist.

MD_MaintenanceInformation

This package contains information about the scope and frequency of updating data. MD_MaintenanceInformation entity is optional and contains mandatory and optional metadata elements.

EX_Extent

The datatype in this package is an aggregate of the metadata elements that describe the spatial and temporal extent of the referring entity. The EX_Extent entity contains information about the geographic (EX_GeographicExtent), temporal (EX_TemporalExtent) and the vertical (EX_VerticalExtent) extent of the referring entity. EX_GeographicExtent can be subclassed as EX_BoundingPolygon, EX_GeographicBoundingBox and EX_GeographicDescription. The combined spatial and temporal extent (EX_SpatialTemporalExtent) is an aggregate of EX_GeographicExtent. EX_SpatialTemporalExtent is a subclass of EX_TemporalExtent. The EX_Extent entity has three optional roles named “geographicElement”, “temporalElement”, and “verticalElement” and an element called “description”. At least one of the four shall be used.