Structure and Functions
Structure
The current structure of the Directorate-General of the National Geographic Institute is contained in Article 17 of Royal Decree 308/2022 , of 7 July, amending Royal Decree 139/2020, of 28 January, which establishes the basic organisational structure of ministerial departments, and Royal Decree 645/2020, of 7 July, which develops the basic organisational structure of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, configuring it as a management body attached to the Under-Secretariat of the Department and comprising the following bodies with the rank of Deputy Directorate General:
- Secretariat General.
- Subdirectorate General for Astronomy and Geodesy.
- Subdirectorate General for Cartography and Earth observation.
- Subdirectorate General for monitoring, Warning and Geophysical Surveys.
- National Centre for Geographic Information (CNIG), an autonomous agency with the rank of Subdirectorate General attached to the Directorate-General of the IGN.
Additionally, the Directorate General of the IGN (through the CNIG) depends operationally on a series of territorial units (organically dependent on the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Public Function) called Regional Services, established in the various Autonomous Regions within the Government Delegations. Furthermore, the Geophysics Centre of the Canary Islands adds to its own functions those of a Regional Service, and the Regional Service of Catalonia extends its scope to the Balearic Islands.
Functions
Royal Decree 308/2022, of 3 May, amending Royal Decree 139/2020, of 28 January, establishing the basic organic structure of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, sets out in Article 17 the functions and powers entrusted to the Directorate General of the IGN.
To see the functions assigned to this Directorate-General, please consult this document..
Organisational Chart
By clicking on each box you can consult the contact information and the functions assigned to each of the governing bodies as well as the contacts of the Regional Services.

Director General of IGN and President of CNIG
General Director and President of the CNIG: Mr. Lorenzo García Asensio
Vice President of the Superior Geographic Council.
President of the National Commission of Astronomy, of the Spanish Commission of Geodesy and Geophysics and of the Permanent Commission of Seismic Standards, under the terms established in their respective regulatory norms.
Telephone: 91 597 94 11 Fax: 91 597 97 53 ign@mitma.es
Secretariat General
Secretary General: Ms. Mónica Groba López
Telephone: 91 597 94 20 21 Fax: 91 597 97 50 ign@mitma.es
Functions
- The management of the historical, cartographic and documentary collections, the bibliographic collections, the collection of instruments and the rest of the historical heritage of the National Geographic Institute, promoting its knowledge in society.
- Both for its own area and that of the National Centre for Geographic Information (CNIG), the definition of the joint strategic framework and the functional coordination of central and peripheral services and national and international projects.
- The preparation of the preliminary draft budget proposal and the management and processing of the credits and expenses assigned to the management body, as well as the management of matters relating to contracting and subsidies within its competence, without prejudice to the competences of other higher or management bodies of the Department and in coordination with them.
- Technical and operational support of the National Cartographic System, especially of the National Reference Geographic Equipment by means of the management BOLETÍN OFICIAL DEL ESTADO Núm. 106 Miércoles 4 de mayo de 2022 Sec. I. Pág. 61270cve: BOE-A-2022-7187 Verificable en https://www.boe.es of the Central Registry of Cartography, the formation and updating of the National Geographic Nomenclature based on the official toponymy, and the expert report on municipal jurisdictional boundary lines.
- Those attributed in Royal Decree 1545/2007, of 23 November, which regulates the National Cartographic System.
Subdirectorate General for Cartography and Earth observation.
Deputy Director: Mr. Francisco Javier González Matesanz
Telephone: 91 597 95 89 Fax: 91 597 97 65 ign@mitma.es
Functions
- The direction and development of national land observation plans with cartographic application, as well as the use of photogrammetry and remote sensing systems, and the production, updating and exploitation of digital elevation models.
- The production, updating and exploitation of the databases of the topographic aspects of the Geographic Reference Information considered in annex I of Law 14/2010, of 5 July, on infrastructures and geographic information services in Spain, on digital models of elevations, transport networks and infrastructures, hydrographic elements, the geographic location and geometric shape of population entities, the description of the land surface by means of georeferenced images obtained by satellite or airborne sensors and land occupation.
- The programming of the National Cartographic Plan and the production, updating and exploitation of topographic and cartographic bases of national scope for their integration in geographic information systems, and for the formation of the National Topographic Map and other basic and derived cartography. Likewise, the production and updating of the National Atlas of Spain, the provision of technical assistance in cartographic matters to public bodies, as well as the management of cartographic laboratories and workshops.
Subdirectorate General for Astronomy and Geodesy.
Deputy Director: Mr. Jose Antonio López Fernández
Telephone:: 91 597 94 60 Fax: 91 597 96 16 ign@mitma.es
Functions
- Through the National Astronomical Observatory: The planning and scientific exploitation of its own astronomical instrumentation and infrastructures, including the carrying out of research work oriented towards radio astronomy, as well as the provision of official information on astronomy and the conservation of the heritage of the Royal Observatory of Madrid.
- Through the Centre for Technological Development:
Technological development and operational management of its own instrumentation and infrastructures for radio astronomy, space geodesy and geodynamics, especially for operation as a unique scientific-technical facility.
- The planning and management of the national geodetic and gravimetric networks, the high-precision levelling network and the network of tide gauges that make up the Spanish Geodetic Reference System and framework, the exploitation and analysis of geodetic and geodynamic observations, the development of applications for navigation and positioning systems, as well as the performance of related work and studies.
O.A. National Centre for Geographic Information (CNIG)
Director: Mr. Emilio López Romero
Telephone: 91 597 96 46 Fax: 91 597 97 64 consulta@cnig.es
Functions
- Those established by Royal Decree 310/2021 of 4 May(BOE núm. 121, de 21 de mayo de 2021), which amends the Statute of the National Centre for Geographic Information.
- Production and updating of thematic cartography to support specific action plans from the central state administration.
- Planning and management of the Spanish Geographic Information Infrastructure, as well as alignment and standardization in the framework of the National Cartographic System for official geographic information. Likewise, the planning and development of value-added services and new systems and applications in terms of geographic information, especially for use by Public Administrations.
- It shall act as a specialised unit for the dissemination, distribution, promotion, marketing and exploitation of geographic data, products, services and applications.
- Management of the geospatial technological infrastructure of the General Directorate of the National Geographic Institute.
- Participation and participation in research projects and institutional representation in geographic matters, within the strategic framework defined by the Directorate General of the National Geographic Institute.
- The Autonomous Body of the National Centre for Geographic Information, for the purposes of obtaining and managing public funding, may develop and participate in the R&D&I and scientific-technological investment projects that the Directorate General of the National Geographic Institute determines in the terms and matters of its own competence.
- Regional Services and the Peripheral Services of the Directorate General of the National Geographic Institute will support the activities carried out by the Autonomous Body of the National Centre for Geographic Information, in the territorial area that corresponds to them, as long as they respond to the powers attributed to said Directorate General by the Autonomous Body of the National Centre for Geographic Information, or to the latter's own powers, in accordance with its Statute, with the legal instruments that correspond to it in each case.
The Subdirectorate General for Monitoring, Warning and Geophysical Surveys
Functions
- Coordination of the preparation, development and monitoring of the National Plan for seismic, volcanological and other geophysical phenomena monitoring.
- The planning and management of systems for detecting and notifying institutions of seismic movements occurring on national territory and their possible effects on the coasts, as well as carrying out work and studies on seismicity and coordinating seismic-resistant regulations.
- Planning and management of systems for observation, monitoring and communication to institutions of volcanic activity and determination of associated hazards, as well as management of geomagnetism observation systems and related work and studies.