China rolls out own version of Google Earth

China has created its own internet mapping service. It will compete with Google Maps and Google Earth. The government’s new online service uses satellite data and also provides users with navigation capabilities.
Google has no license to provide an online mapping service in China. Google said it was technically impossible to meet a government demand that it store the data on servers in China.
The new service, "Map World," is managed by the State Surveying and Mapping Bureau of China. Access to the service is available via website at http://www.tianditu.cn.
Seer Press News reports the resolution of map service in the new project varies considerably from region to region. For example, the resolution of data relating to mainland China is done very well, whereas the images of Taiwan are not up to standard. North Korea also appears to have a lesser resolution.