Google Redraws Nicaraguan Border After Dispute Arises

Google Maps has retraced the border between two Central American countries after a territory dispute developed. Google on Friday night said it had updated the digital border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica with new data from the U.S. State Department. This follows a dispute that developed between those two countries over a piece of land near the San Juan River, on the Caribbean Coast.

A Nicaraguan official cited the Google Maps version of the border as justification for a reported raid of the area, according to local news. Google said in a statement issued on its Lat Long Blog, which covers mapping technology:

"It is our goal to provide the most accurate, up-to-date maps possible. Maps are created using a variety of data sources, and there are inevitably going to be errors in that data."

"We work hard to correct any errors as soon as we discover them."

Google says the U.S. State Department provided the faulty data. The tech company updated the map by requesting that the federal department update its information to reflect agreed-upon treaties.

The Google blog says:

"Once our updates go live in Google Earth and Maps we will be depicting the border according to the most recent and definitive records available."

"But as we know, cartography is a complex undertaking, and borders are always changing. We remain committed to updating our maps as needed."