The Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina (IHM; literally "Hydrographic Institute of the Navy") is a Spanish institution with responsibilities in the fields of

hydrography Hydrography is the branch of applied sciences which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of oceans, seas, coastal areas, lakes and rivers, as well as with the prediction of their change over time, for the primary ...

geodesy Geodesy or geodetics is the science of measuring and representing the Figure of the Earth, geometry, Gravity of Earth, gravity, and Earth's rotation, spatial orientation of the Earth in Relative change, temporally varying Three-dimensional spac ...

and

photogrammetry Photogrammetry is the science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant ima ...

cartography Cartography (; from , 'papyrus, sheet of paper, map'; and , 'write') is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an imagined reality) can ...

, navigation and

oceanography Oceanography (), also known as oceanology, sea science, ocean science, and marine science, is the scientific study of the ocean, including its physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of to ...

History

The IHM was created via 30 December 1943 Law published on 1 January 1940, establishing it as a military body depending on the . Fernando Balén García was appointed as first director of the IHM on 1 July 1944, serving for 22 years at the post. Via a 1970 decree, the IHM was entrusted with ensuring the safety of navigation, obtaining and disseminating information on the sea and coastline, and contributing to the progress of nautical science. The headquarters of the IHM are located in

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

, in San Severiano. The IHM is the Spanish representative at the

International Hydrographic Organization The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) (French: ''Organisation Hydrographique Internationale'') is an intergovernmental organization representing hydrography. the IHO comprised 102 member states. A principal aim of the IHO is to ...

(IHO).

References

;Citations ;Bibliography * Government agencies of Spain National hydrographic offices {{Spain-mil-stub