UN, Google project maps refugees

The office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has developed a mapping project with Google Earth that highlights the location and movement of refugees around the world, according to a story in Technology Review. The maps are intended to aid humanitarian operations as well as help the public understand more about the millions of refugees who have fled their homes because of violence or hardship. Users can visit UNHCR's Google Earth maps website to see satellite images of refugee hot spots such as Darfur, Iraq and Colombia (if you don't have the Google Earth software installed on your computer you will need to do so). Information provided by the U.N. refugee agency explains where the refugees have come from and what problems they face.