Many of us take driving directions for granted, but for areas with strict web controls, such as North Korea, it's a luxury. Google has managed to bypass a number of these restrictions by using data supplied by users of its Maps service to plot roads, subways, and parks in the eastern region. And now it has built on this information by adding satellite navigation across the country. Google began adding roads, subway stations and parks to the North Korea region of its Maps service in January 2013. These additions were made using submissions from worldwide Maps users. Using this data, Google has now added step-by-step driving directions, pictured, along the roads that have been mapped . In 2012, Google announced it was going . to start adding detailed mapping information in areas ‘that . traditionally have been mostly blank’ - including North Korea. To . build this map, a community of so-called citizen cartographers added . road names and points of interesting to the Google Map Maker tool. The detailed site launched on 28 January 2013. Building on this data, Google now plots driving directions across the country - but only on roads that have been mapped. Google . did not comment on the recent transport changes, but linked to its . original blog post from 2013 that said: ‘From this point forward, any further . approved updates to the North Korean maps in Google Map Maker will also . appear on Google Maps.’ North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un imposes strict controls on internet use and how many people can buy cars, for example. Earlier this week, reports claimed the region has just 5,500 websites and emails and texts are closely monitored. In 2012, Google announced it was going to start adding detailed mapping information in areas ‘that traditionally have been mostly blank’ - including North Korea. To build this map, a community of so-called citizen cartographers added road names and points of interest to the Google Map Maker tool, and the detailed site launched on 28 January 2013. Building on this data, Google now plots driving directions across the country - but only on roads that have been mapped. Google did not comment on the recent transport changes, but linked to its original blog post from 2013 that said: ‘We encourage people from around the world to continue helping us improve the quality of these maps for everyone with Google Map Maker. ‘From this point forward, any further . approved updates to the North Korean maps in Google Map Maker will also . appear on Google Maps.’ The . directions, which began rolling out in June last year, are available on . desktop, as well as the Android and iOS app versions of the service. The directions, which began rolling out in June last year, are available on desktop, as well as the Android and iOS app versions, pictured left, of the service. Like in other regions, these directions feature step-by-step instructions, traffic details, where possible, mileage and travel time, pictured right . Asking for routes across the borders into South Korea and China produces a message saying Google has been unable to calculate directions, pictured. Although Google Maps shows railway and subway lines in North Korea, it still doesn't show timetable information . Like in other regions, these directions feature step-by-step instructions, traffic details, where possible, mileage and travel time. But asking for routes to both Seoul and Bejing produces a message saying Google has been unable to calculate directions. Although Google Maps shows railway and subway lines, it still doesn’t show timetable information as seen in other regions. This may be because regulations in South Korea restrict certain details from being released. According to North Korea Tech, this could be due to the fact Google has offices in Seoul and therefore is bound by the country’s laws - which it isn't in North Korea. North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, pictured, imposes strict controls on internet use and how many people can buy cars, for example. Earlier this week, reports claimed the region has just 5,500 websites and emails and texts are closely monitored .
North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un imposes strict controls on web use .
Google began adding roads, subway stations and parks in 2012 .
These additions were made using submissions from worldwide Maps users .
Using this data, Google has now added driving directions for the region .
But crossing the border into South Korea or China produces an error .
Some public transport details are also still missing from the service .
Many of us take driving directions for granted, but for areas with strict web controls, such as North Korea, it's a luxury. Google has managed to bypass a number of these restrictions by using data supplied by users of its Maps service to plot roads, subways, and parks in the eastern region. And now it has built on this information by adding satellite navigation across the country. Google began adding roads, subway stations and parks to the North Korea region of its Maps service in January 2013. These additions were made using submissions from worldwide Maps users. Using this data, Google has now added step-by-step driving directions, pictured, along the roads that have been mapped . In 2012, Google announced it was going . to start adding detailed mapping information in areas ‘that . traditionally have been mostly blank’ - including North Korea. To . build this map, a community of so-called citizen cartographers added . road names and points of interesting to the Google Map Maker tool. The detailed site launched on 28 January 2013. Building on this data, Google now plots driving directions across the country - but only on roads that have been mapped. Google . did not comment on the recent transport changes, but linked to its . original blog post from 2013 that said: ‘From this point forward, any further . approved updates to the North Korean maps in Google Map Maker will also . appear on Google Maps.’ North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un imposes strict controls on internet use and how many people can buy cars, for example. Earlier this week, reports claimed the region has just 5,500 websites and emails and texts are closely monitored. In 2012, Google announced it was going to start adding detailed mapping information in areas ‘that traditionally have been mostly blank’ - including North Korea. To build this map, a community of so-called citizen cartographers added road names and points of interest to the Google Map Maker tool, and the detailed site launched on 28 January 2013. Building on this data, Google now plots driving directions across the country - but only on roads that have been mapped. Google did not comment on the recent transport changes, but linked to its original blog post from 2013 that said: ‘We encourage people from around the world to continue helping us improve the quality of these maps for everyone with Google Map Maker. ‘From this point forward, any further . approved updates to the North Korean maps in Google Map Maker will also . appear on Google Maps.’ The . directions, which began rolling out in June last year, are available on . desktop, as well as the Android and iOS app versions of the service. The directions, which began rolling out in June last year, are available on desktop, as well as the Android and iOS app versions, pictured left, of the service. Like in other regions, these directions feature step-by-step instructions, traffic details, where possible, mileage and travel time, pictured right . Asking for routes across the borders into South Korea and China produces a message saying Google has been unable to calculate directions, pictured. Although Google Maps shows railway and subway lines in North Korea, it still doesn't show timetable information . Like in other regions, these directions feature step-by-step instructions, traffic details, where possible, mileage and travel time. But asking for routes to both Seoul and Bejing produces a message saying Google has been unable to calculate directions. Although Google Maps shows railway and subway lines, it still doesn’t show timetable information as seen in other regions. This may be because regulations in South Korea restrict certain details from being released. According to North Korea Tech, this could be due to the fact Google has offices in Seoul and therefore is bound by the country’s laws - which it isn't in North Korea. North Korea, under the leadership of Kim Jong-un, pictured, imposes strict controls on internet use and how many people can buy cars, for example. Earlier this week, reports claimed the region has just 5,500 websites and emails and texts are closely monitored .
country. Google began adding roads, subway stations and parks to the North Korea region of its Maps service in January 2013. These additions were made using submissions from worldwide Maps users. Using this data, Google has now added Maps.’ North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un imposes data, Google now plots driving directions across across the borders into South Korea and China pictured, imposes strict controls on internet use