RD New (Rijksdriehoeksmeting New | EPSG:28992)

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Introduction

RD New (Rijksdriehoeksmeting New) is the national reference coordinate system of the Netherlands and the standard projection coordinate system for geographic information measurement and map production. The coordinate system is based on the Transverse Mercator Projection, with Amersfoort as the origin. It is widely known as EPSG code 28992. The system is designed to manage spatial data throughout the Netherlands with high accuracy and is currently widely used in public and private fields such as land management, urban planning, infrastructure design, and disaster response.

Coordinate System Composition

Coordinate system: Based on the Transverse Mercator projection, with Amersfoort as the reference point.
Unit system: Distances are expressed in meters (m).
Geodetic system: Uses the Bessel 1841 ellipsoid, with Amersfoort as the geographic coordinate reference.
Scope of application: Can cover the entire Netherlands with high accuracy.
EPSG code: 28992, widely recognized internationally and widely used in mainstream GIS software.

Pros

Highly locally optimized accuracy: highly consistent with the domestic terrain of the Netherlands, with extremely high measurement and design accuracy.
**Standardized use in public projects: **widely adopted by government agencies and public works to ensure data interoperability and uniformity.
Compatible with existing data resources: a large amount of historical and current map data are based on RD New, which facilitates long-term data integration.
Compatible with mainstream GIS platforms: natively supported by mainstream GIS software such as QGIS and ArcGIS, easy to operate.

Cons

Limited application abroad: This system is optimized for the Netherlands and is not applicable in other countries.
Limitations of the Bessel ellipsoid: Compared with global standards such as WGS84, the Bessel model is older and may have lower accuracy.
Coordinate conversion is required: When linked with other coordinate systems (such as WGS84), conversion processing is required, which may result in reduced accuracy or processing efficiency issues.

Application Scenario

The RD New coordinate system is an indispensable tool for local map making and urban infrastructure design in the Netherlands. For example, it plays a key role in high-precision demand scenarios such as urban road network planning, building permit approval, and underground facility positioning. In addition, it is also widely used in the production of disaster emergency response maps, government service area analysis, and other work. It is a core component of the spatial information infrastructure led by the Dutch government. The coordinate system is also easy to connect to various public databases, and local governments and large construction companies are highly dependent on and support it.

Example

National triangulation map of Amersfoort using OziExplorer.

The main benchmark used in the Dutch national university education system.