CHICAGO, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- NAVTEQ, a leading global provider of digital map data for location-based solutions and vehicle navigation, now offers full navigable map coverage of Greece. With this map, drivers will have access to the country's entire network of around 320,000 kilometres of roads.

To help residents of Greece and its many visitors travel between the spectacular mountains, impressive coastline and stunning beaches, the NAVTEQ(R) map includes a great range of useful content. For example, over sixty 3D Landmarks, such as famous monuments, buildings and other historic sites have been included. Spread throughout twenty cities, the featured locations include the Acropolis in Athens, Heraklion's Knossos, Patra's Odeon and Agia Sofia in Thessaloniki. Athens and Thessaloniki are also available as 3D City Models: building footprints incorporating heights, depicted in detail and designed to work with the NAVTEQ map to help orientation, by providing a visual impression of the surrounding area.

In addition to NAVTEQ's precise and detailed map, customers will receive an extensive range of Points of Interest (POI) in categories such as hotels, railway stations, shops, restaurants and petrol stations. All POIs are geo-referenced to the NAVTEQ map in order to maximise the routing precision of navigation devices.

Athens has also been added to NAVTEQ Discover Cities(TM): an innovative development for pedestrian navigation. The ideal product for such a major tourist destination, it extends navigation beyond the car by combining a map designed for pedestrians with a wide range of public transport information. Data includes pavements and pedestrian-only tunnels, bridges, passageways and shopping streets plus stairs, escalators and lifts.

Local Presence with Global Capabilities and Quality Standards

The mountainous nature of the landscape means the road network can be narrow, winding, unpaved and effected by the terrain's weather and some roads officially for two-way traffic are just wide enough for one car to pass through. Also walkways are common in most historical areas and villages and so sometimes pedestrian navigation is the best way to continue your journey. NAVTEQ's geographic analysts drive the roads to deliver data consistent with real world conditions, providing high quality digital mapping. The Greek team is part of a global group of over 1,000 geographic analysts based in 36 countries who, as part of the verification process, drive and sometimes walk millions of kilometres each year refining the database using proprietary software and tools.

"Greece, with its famously diverse scenery, is a perfect example of how important walking or driving the roads is when collecting and coding complex data," adds Frank Pauli, vice president NAVTEQ Map Content and Product EMEA. "NAVTEQ has established offices in both Athens and Thessaloniki and this local presence is invaluable in understanding and incorporating country specific nuances whilst maintaining the company's global specification and high standards: we call this the "human factor."

The latest map for Greece underlines NAVTEQ's ongoing commitment to Eastern Europe and the Balkan Peninsula where NAVTEQ is already providing 100% coverage of the population in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. NAVTEQ is also planning to expand coverage for Albania, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey and the Ukraine.

About NAVTEQ

NAVTEQ is a leading provider of comprehensive digital map information for automotive navigation systems, mobile navigation devices, Internet-based mapping applications, and government and business solutions. NAVTEQ creates the digital maps and map content that power navigation and location-based services solutions around the world. The Chicago-based company was founded in 1985 and has approximately 4,000 employees located in 196 offices and in 36 countries.

NAVTEQ and NAVTEQ Discover Cities(TM) are trademarks in the U.S. and other countries. All rights reserved.

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