Today marks the third anniversary of the U.S. government’s open data site, Data.gov. The first national open data site, Data.gov led the way in opening government data around the world. Now 30 countries host open data sites and they are key tools in the global open government movement.
Growing from 47 datasets in 2009 to nearly 450,000 datasets today, Data.gov reaches across 172 federal agencies to bring data to innovators, developers, analysts and citizens across the nation. The data shows up in smart phone apps, websites, and information that lets people buy smarter, use energy more efficiently, and find better health-care solutions each day.
Over the past year alone, Data.gov has not only added more datasets, it has added more opportunities for interaction with them, and more opportunities for collaborating and sharing information both nationwide and around the world. In fact, President Obama’s Open Government U.S. National Action Plan considers Data.gov an important tool to spur innovation in the United States and around the globe.
Data.gov has become a gathering spot for those with shared interests through its topic-based communities. Expanding these communities is a key priority of President Obama’s U.S. National Action Plan, which heralds six Data.gov communities: – Education, Health, Law, Energy, Safety, and Research.
These communities bring together experts from the public, academia, industry, and government to address the national challenges in energy, health, and law, and this year new communities launched on safety, education, manufacturing, oceans, ethics, developers, and business. From organizing challenges to inspire new innovations to supporting code-a-thons in cities, to building platforms for entrepreneurs to find new technologies and grow their businesses—Data.gov is putting federal data to work for Americans.
Join the celebration, discover new information, and find ways to get more from your money, your time, and your business. Visit Data.gov!
Data.gov is managed by the General Services Administration’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies working with the U.S. Chief Information Officer and U.S. Chief Technology Officer