The role of property in fostering good governance, robust economies, and strong civil societies has received fresh attention in the wake of the collapse of communism, the adoption of a market driven approach to the economy, and the increasing impact of information technology. Some of these reforms have focused on a diverse package of measures dealing with land tenure security, land and property transactions, and access to credit. They have also been concerned with supporting physical planning, the sustainable management and control of land use and of natural resources, and facilitating real property taxation. As well, there has been a growing awareness of the requirement to address such issues as the protection of the environment and the provision of land for all people whatever their gender, but especially for the poor and ethnic minorities.

Land Administration provides a high level overview of recent advances in building formal property systems throughout the world and reviews the role of property in advancing a society's economic and social agenda. It undertakes an in-depth examination of the land administration infrastructure required to support these modern property systems, giving particular attention to the survey, registration, valuation, and land use control functions. The text also provides an extended discussion of the information management challenges associate with the land administration field.

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Peter Dale is Professor of Land Information Management, University College London

John McLaughlin is Vice president (Research and International Co-operation) at the University of New Brunswick.

'The book is a concise introduction to the field of land administration with the focus placed on policies and not techniques. It is directed towards a readership consisting of managers and administrators and should be of special interest to an audience in the developing countries.' Quarterly Jounal of International Agriculture 40, no.3