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Why are maps for the MENA region so sparse when compared to other cities in Europe?

cmajewsk
over 4 years ago

I have a Fenix 6X Pro Solar and the maps here in the Middle East are not vey detailed and only have some highways (not all), but no secondary or tertiary roads. Whereas the maps of similar size or even smaller cities in Europe are highly detailed. I have made sure I have downloaded the most recent MENA maps from Garmin via Express, but the maps are pretty much useless. I would think Garmin would have a high quality of detail all over the world. Am I doing something wrong?

Abu Dhabi & Dubai

Alicante and Caen

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Ask Garmin Support but in the meantime you might be able to find some 3rd party maps to install,

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    When you say MENA maps, are they the TopoActive MENA maps? The watches only have access in Express to the TopoActive maps of the region the watch was intended to be sold. Given your second set of screen shots suggest you have TopoActive Europe maps on your watch, it looks like you have been sold a Europe region watch; the MENA maps you then see in Express are the golf course maps for that area and not TopoActive.

    There’s a whole separate debate, as to whether Garmin should include access to the other regions TopoActive maps in Express, given how much the watches cost. In the meantime the TopoActive MENA maps can be purchased from Garmin https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/648151/pn/010-D4860-05 as a digital download, or you can do as Philip suggests and do a quick Google search for free open street maps for Garmin devices (Garmin’s TopoActive maps are based on open street map data anyway).

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to Dr Phil

    The third-party maps I've found (like OSM) look pretty bad. I'll contact Garmin, thanks!

  • 0 over 4 years ago in reply to cmajewsk

    Garmin's own maps are also based on OSM data... many of the third party maps (also based on data from OSM) are far more detailed than the Garmin offerings...

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Download from garmin.openstreetmap.nl . Not worse than the Garmin map, as it's the same data and free. OpenTopoMap doesn't seem to cover Middle East, I like it more.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    I just have a look on OSM map with JOSM editor used mainly by OSM contributors.

    For Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it seems before all, that data are equivalent to the data observed for European cities.

    I think the differences could be due to a "very light" extraction of OSM data for making the "xx.img" maps.

    To have the best maps you need to have the best style files for mkgmap compiler. You need also the best "xx.typ" files to display at the best on the device.

    In general that is not the case for most of the free maps available.

    I suggest downloading maps from http://openmtbmap.org and choose "openmtbmap - GCC-states" - I think Non Unicode could be better.

    - free version (local language)

    - premium English Language maps (need to be member)

    As an example, a part of map for Dubai.

  • 0 over 4 years ago

    Did you find a solution to your problem as I am also interested in accurate and detailed MENA maps? Did you end up purchasing the TopoActive MENA maps from Garmin or were they already preinstalled on your watch?