This question is the title of a book article (van der Eng 2016). The puzzling incompleteness applies to many countries, more so to their rural areas (e.g. Namibia), notwithstanding considerable efforts in terms of budget, manpower, expertise and current technology.
Cadasters were completed two centuries ago at relatively low cost (e.g. a one off 3.3-8.3 ‰ of land tax in Prussia) with mechanical survey instruments, newly trained surveyors, without cars, in road-less terrain within in a decade.
The only recent example of a timely completion of a cadaster that comes to mind is Rwanda.
Hi Hein,
In some countries, it’s a matter of what the society deems as needed advancement/development. I spend a lot of time in Indonesia and over the last few years I have been shocked at the growth in the building of new Mosque’s. Even in areas where the basic infrastructure is poor (water, sewer, power, roads, schools etc.) new Mosques are being built, sometimes very close to an existing Mosque. While we often like to blame money (or a lack of money) as a source of underdevelopment, it can also be about what a society prioritises as being important.
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