網際網路的發展讓數值地理資料更容易分享與流通，網路地理資訊系統 的普及，讓使用者能更方便的取得詳實的地理資料。但地理資料的複雜性，卻讓 使用者不易瞭解其內容，嚴重者甚至誤用資料，造成決策判斷上的錯誤。此外， 地理資料分散在各級政府單位、學術單位、及私人機構，各單位組織整理資料與 檢索的方式有很大的差異，使用者很難全面掌握各單位的資料內容，造成使用上 極大的困擾。因此本文探討如何利用詮釋資料，建立地理資訊庫的分享與流通環 境。本文首先介紹美國聯邦政府地理詮釋資料的CSDGM標準、內涵，以及詮釋 資料的建構工具，並介紹國內地理詮釋資料的發展現況。另外，說明本文作者所 發展的兩套地理詮釋資料建構工具，可以提供各資料單位著錄之用，並對國內地 理資料的分享與流通機制提出建議。

　　　　　Internet provides a convenient environment to share geographic information. WebGIS (Geographic Information System) even provides users a direct access environmentto geographic databases through Internet. However, the complexity of geographic datamakes it difficult for users to understand the real content and the limitation ofgeographic information. In some cases, users may misuse the geographic data andmake wrong decisions. Meanwhile, geographic data are distributed across variousgovernment agencies, academic institutes, and private organizations, which make iteven more difficult for users to fully understand the content of these complex data. Toovercome these difficulties, this research uses metadata as a guiding mechanism forusers to fully understand the content and the limitation of geographic data. We introduce three metadata standards commonly used for geographic data and metadataauthoring tools available in the US. We also review the current development ofgeographic metadata standard in Taiwan. Two metadata authoring tools are developedin this research, which will enable users to build their own geographic metadata easily.