People from all over the world contribute to or use OpenStreetMap. While many participate as individuals, others have formed communities. These groups come in a range of sizes and represent geographies from small towns to large multi-country regions. They can also be formal or informal.

Local Chapters

Local Chapters are country-level or region-level groups that have taken the formal step of establishing not-for-profit legal entities. They represent the area's map and mappers when dealing with local government, business, and media. They have also formed an affiliation with the OpenStreetMap Foundation (OSMF), giving them a link to the legal and copyright governing body.

The following communities are formally established as Local Chapters:

• OpenStreetMap Belgium
• OpenStreetMap RDC
• OpenStreetMap CZ
• OpenStreetMap France
• OpenStreetMap Ireland
• OpenStreetMap Iceland
• OpenStreetMap Italy
• Free Libre Open Source Software Kosova (FLOSSK)
• OSGeo Oceania
• GeoLibres
• OpenStreetMap Austria
• OpenStreetMap Germany
• OpenStreetMap Japan
• OpenStreetMap Poland
• OpenStreetMap US
• OpenStreetMap Freemap Slovakia
• Swiss OpenStreetMap Association
• OpenStreetMap UK

Other Groups

There is no need to formally establish a group to the same extent as the Local Chapters. Indeed many groups exist very sucessfully as an informal gathering of people or as a community group. Anyone can set up or join these. Read more on the Communities wiki page.