During the reign of the Dutch East Indies, there were many measurement offices, which were then combined into one body, called the Permante Kaarterings-Commissie (Standing Commission for Mapping), in 1938.
In fact, the agency could not live up to its original expectations. Through Gouvernements Besluit van 17 January 1948 (Government Decree No. 3 dated January 17, 1948), the commission was disbanded and formed Raad en Directorium voor het Meet en Kaarteerwezen in the Netherlands Indies (Council and Directorium for Measurement and Mapping of the Dutch East Indies).
After the recognition of the sovereignty of the Republic of Indonesia in 1949, the government dissolved the Raad en Directorium voor het Meet en Kaarteerwezwn (Government Regulation number 71 of 1951), then formed the Council and Directory of Map Measurement and Depiction. This body has the same organizational pattern as that of the Dutch East Indies. The Council is in charge of making policies and decisions, while the executor is the Directorium.
On the other hand, a committee was also formed for 'Making an Atlas of Indonesian Prosperity Sources', with the task of supporting the national development plan. This committee is under the Bureau of Economics and Finance, First Minister. In 1964, the status of the Atlas Committee was upgraded to become the National Atlas Agency (Batnas), based on Working Cabinet Decree No. Aa/D57/1964, signed by Deputy Prime Minister II, Ir. Chaerul Saleh.
According to President Soekarno, the performance of the Board and Directory was slow and coordination was not functioning, until finally it was disbanded and command organizations were formed, namely the National Survey and Mapping Command (Kosurtanal) and the National Survey and Mapping Council (Desurtanal), through Presidential Decree No. 263 of 1965 dated September 2, 1965.
Until the 1965 G-30-S/PKI incident, Desurtanal and Kosurtanal had not worked as they should. So specifically for the national survey and mapping, a new organization was formed called BAKOSURTANAL (National Survey and Mapping Coordinating Agency).
BAKOSURTANAL was formed based on Presidential Decree No. 83 of 1969, dated October 17, 1969 (celebrated as the birthday of BAKOSURTANAL).
Considerations for the formation of BAKOSURTANAL, namely:
With the formation of BAKOSURTANAL, the existing bodies such as the Desurtanal and the National Atlas Agency were disbanded, and the functions of the two bodies were accommodated by BAKOSURTANAL.
Until now BAKOSURTANAL has been led by 6 heads (formerly the chairman), namely: Ir. Pranoto Asmoro (1969-1984), Prof. Dr. Ir. Jacub Rais, M.Sc. (1984-1993), Dr. Ir. Paul Suharto (1993-1999), Prof. Dr. Ir. Joenil Kahar (1999-2002), Ir. Rudolf Wennemar Matindas, M.Sc. (2002-2010), Dr. Asep Karsidi, M.Sc. (2010-2014), Dr. Priyadi Kardono, M.Sc (2014-2016), Prof. Dr. Ir. Hasanuddin Z Abidin, M.Sc. Eng. (2016 - 2020) and Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Muh Aris Marfai, S.Si, M.Sc (2020 - Present).
Between that period and now, this coordinating agency had offices in several different places. Initially on Jalan Wahidin Sudirohusodo I/11 and Jalan Merdeka Selatan No. 11, also in Gondangdia, and finally (until now) in the Cibinong Science Center Complex.
The Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) was born to replace the National Survey and Mapping Coordinating Agency (BAKOSURTANAL) in fulfillment of the mandate of Article 22 of Law Number 4 of 2011 concerning Geospatial Information (IG). This law was approved by the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia on April 15, 2011 and ratified by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, on April 21, 2011. The birth of BIG was marked by the signing of Presidential Regulation Number 94 of 2011.
In order to optimize the tasks and functions of organizing geospatial information, the organization and work procedures of the Geospatial Information Agency were reorganized through the issuance of Presidential Regulation Number 128 of 2022 concerning the Geospatial Information Agency on November 1, 2022.
Based on Chapter XI Article 69 of the Law on Geospatial Information, which is then further elaborated into the Transitional Provisions of Chapter VII Article 40 of the Presidential Regulation on the Geospatial Information Agency, it is stated that the task fields related to geospatial information will still be carried out by BAKOSURTANAL until the BIG organizational arrangement is completed. BAKOSURTANAL is obliged to submit all archives and documents related to the implementation of its duties to BIG.
BIG is the backbone for realizing the goals of the Law on Geospatial Information to:
With the hard work and support of all stakeholders in the field of geospatial information, including the government, academics, businessmen, professionals, and the whole community, BIG is ready to carry out its mandate as the leading institution in optimizing the implementation of geospatial information for the country.
