REGISTER OF TERRITORIAL UNITS-ROTE AND 
EVIDENCE OF HOUSE NUMBERS-EHIŠ a TEH BASIS FOR 
SPATIAL DATA DETERMINATION AND PRESENTATION 
Božena Lipej 
dipl.inž. geod. 
AVTORSKI IZVLEČEK 
Evidenci ROTE in EHIŠ, ki ju v sodelovanju vodita geodetska služba in Zavod SR Slovenije 
za statistiko, predstavljata podlago za izgradnjo registra prostorskih enot. Geokodirani 
podatki in decentralizacija računalniških obdelav v občinah bodo prispevali k višji stopnji 
obdelav in večji uporabnosti zajetih podatkov. Tudi v SFR Jugoslaviji se vzpostavljajo 
konceptualne zasnove geografskih informacijskih sistemov (GIS) oziroma projekta GIZIS, 
kjer predstavljajo geokodirane baze podatkov FIOTE-ja in EHIS-a pionirski korak k realizaciji 
slovenskega oziroma jugoslovanskega projekta. 
AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT 
Merging and further development of the ROTE and EHIŠ into Register of Spatial Units wi/1 
contribute - with geocodes and gradua/ decentralization of computer processing of these 
data in communes - to a higher leve/ of data processing and to greater appfication of data 
col/ection. The ROTE and EHIŠ geocoded data are the first step towards creating GIS 
respectively G/ZIS (Geographical and Land Registration lnformation System) in Slovenia 
and Yugos/avia. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
In the Socialist Republik of Slovenia, one of 
the six republics of the Socialist Federative 
Republic of Yugoslavia, the geodetic ser-
vice e.g. the geodetic activity in its broader 
sense covers in the field of data collecting, 
processing, storing and presenting moslly 
on maps. It is also in charge of some 
records; trough locating data in space it 
joins various spatial analyses. In the pastthe 
main function of the geodetic service was 
the cadastral one; yet with new tasks it is 
gaining importance and it is - especially in 
Slovenia - joning the Social lnformalion Sys-
tem, environment and physical planning, 
recording of changes and interventions in 
the environment; and also the field of social 
reproduction. 
The Statistical Office of Socialist Republic of 
Slovenia performs activities connected with 
the functioning of the Social lnformation 
System, E.g. it performs tasks connected 
with statistical data collecting and analys-
ing, with organizing and managing joint 
registers, statistical and other dalabases 
and tasks concerning slalistical research 
implementation. 
As a result of an extensive research work in 
lhe field of spatial information syslems 
(Banovec et al. 1973, 1975, 1977) and data 
territorialization (Podobnikar 1974, Berlot et 
al. 1977) there are the beginnings of setting 
up the Register of Territorial Units - ROTE 
and Evidence of House Numbers - EHIŠ in 
the late 1970's and early 1980's (Svetik 
1978). The main organization in charge was 
the Republican Surveying and Mapping Ad-
ministration of Slovenia, which - in coopera-
tion with the Statistical Office of Socialist 
Republic of Slovenia - methodologically 
and professionally directed in communal 
surveying and mapping administrations, 
which were the main task performers in 
communes. Thus set up lhe ROTE and EHIŠ 
have served as a basis for the preparation 
and realization of the census of population 
in 1981 and have nowadays a significanl 
175 
176 Geodetski vestnik 4/1989 
role in the economic and social develop-
ment. 
2. BASIC 
ROTEAND 
OF THE 
The ROTE (Lipej et al. 1988) manages and 
maintains boundaries of recorded territorial 
unit areas, surfaces, codes, names and their 
centroids. The ROTE consists of car-
tographic representations, computer-
managed databases and documentation. 
The ROTE manages data concerned with 
the following basic territorial units: census 
circle, statistical circle, settlement, cadastral 
commune, local community and commune 
along with supplementary territorials units: 
polis, postal districts, local districts and 
other. Territorial units are determined by: 
territory, surface (except supplementary ter-
ritorial units), code, name (except census 
and stalistical circle) and co-ordinates of the 
centroid (except supplementary territorial 
units). 
The EHIŠ (Lipej et al. 1988) manages and 
maintains data about streets and house 
numbers and their belonging to a particular 
territorial unit within settlements. The EHIŠ 
consists of cartographic representations, 
computer-managed databases and 
documentation. House numbers are deter-
m ined for all residental and business 
premises in permanent ortemporary use. In 
the digitalization phase all buildings with a 
house number get co-ordinates of centroids 
in the gravitation centre of an individual 
building. Codes and names are determined 
for streets. 
In Slovenia there were at the end of 1988 
(Statistične informacije 1989): 13 193 cen-
sus circles, 7 915 statistical circles, 5 946 
settlements, 2 694 cadastral communes, 
1 214 local communities; 275 local districts; 
438 521 house numbers and 8 747 streets. 
For communes, communal surveying and 
mapping administrations manage and 
maintain the following: basic (on 1 :5 000, 
exceptionally on 1 :1 O 000 scale) and collec-
tive (on 1 :25 000 scale, common for the 
comunity) ROTE carthographic repre-
sentations; cartographic representations of 
supplementary territorial units (on various 
scales); basic (on 1 :5 000, exceptionaly on 
1 :10 000 scale) EHIŠ cartographic repre-
sentations; digitized data of territorial units 
boundaries for commune level; centroids of 
buildings with a house number, and ROTE 
and EHIŠ documentation. Within Slovenia 
the Republican Surveying and Mapping Ad-
ministration manages and maintains collec-
tive (on 1:25000 scale) and generalized (on 
1 :50 000, 1:250000, 1:400000, 1 :1 000 000 
scale) ROTE cartographic representations, 
centroids of territorial units, digitized data of 
boundaries of territorial units for the 
republic level and the ROTE documenta-
tion. The computer-managed and main-
tained ROTE and EHIŠ records for the 
republic Slovenia and for communes is per-
formed by the Statistical Office of Socialist 
Republic of Slovenia, whereas for com-
munes alone also other qualified organiza-
tions may do it. In this way the ROTE e.g. 
EHIŠ records are computer-processed in 
nine slovene communes. In connection with 
both records there is also a house numbers 
determination and allocation performed by 
communal surveying and mapping ad-
ministrations; and the naming of settle-
ments and streets with streets markins, 
where they contribute professional support. 
The ROTE and EHIŠ have managed to com-
bine cooperation and harmonized work of 
two great systems: the geodetic and the 
statistical one. By means of spatial units 
geometry of administrative, functional and 
other character, the geodetic service is con-
nected with data from professional ad-
ministrative sphere; through data location it 
has made aggregation and distribution of 
wanted data possible. For the statistics the 
possibility of cartographic representation 
and visualization of spatially-oriented 
results of analytical processing meant a 
qualitative asset and a new dimension in 
statistical data transfer into social sphere. 
3. UNKS AMONG JOINT REGISTERS IN 
COMMUNES AND IN THE REPUBUC 
Slovenia has set joint registers on the 
republic and commune levels. They repre-
sent basic multi-international databases of 
the Social lnformation System. On com-
mune level the following records are 
managed and maintained: The Register of 
177 
EM 
178 Geodetski vestnik 4/1989 
role in the economic and social develop-
ment. 
2. BASIC 
FIOTEAND 
OF THE 
The ROTE (Lipej et al. 1988) manages and 
maintains boundaries of recorded territorial 
unit areas, surfaces, codes, names and their 
centroids. The ROTE consists of car-
tographic representations, computer-
managed databases and documentation. 
The ROTE manages data concemed with 
the following basic territorial units: census 
circle, statistical circle, settlement, cadastral 
commune, local community and commune 
along with supplementary territorials units: 
polis, postal districts, local districts and 
other. Territorial units are determined by: 
territory, surface (except supplenientary ter-
ritorial units), code, name (except census 
and statistical circle) and co-ordinates of the 
centroid (except supplementary territorial 
units). 
The EHIŠ (Lipej et al. 1988) manages and 
maintains data about streets and house 
numbers and their belonging to a particular 
territorial unit within settlements. The EHIŠ 
consists of cartographic representations, 
computer-managed databases and 
documentation. House numbers are deter-
m ined for ali residental and business 
premises in permanent ortemporary use. In 
the digitalization phase ali buildings with a 
house number get co-ordinates of centroids 
in the gravitation centre of an individual 
building. Codes and names are determined 
for streets. 
In Slovenia there were at the end of 1988 
(Statistične informacije 1989): 13 193 cen-
sus circles, 7 915 statistical circles, 5 946 
settlements, 2 694 cadastral communes, 
1 214 local communities; 275 local districts; 
438 521 house numbers and 8 747 streets. 
For communes, communal surveying and 
mapping administrations manage and 
maintain the following: basic (on 1 :5 000, 
exceptionally on 1 :1 O 000 scale) and collec-
tive (on 1 :25 000 scale, common for the 
comunity) ROTE carthographic repre-
sentations; cartographic representations of 
supplementary territorial units (on various 
scales); basic (on 1 :5 000, exceptionaly on 
1 :10 000 scale) EHIŠ cartographic repre-
sentations; digitized data of territorial units 
boundaries for commune level; centroids of 
buildings with a house number, and ROTE 
and EHIŠ documentation. Within Slovenia 
the Republican Surveying and Mapping Ad-
ministration manages and maintains collec-
tive (on 1 :25 000 scale) and generalized (on 
1 :50 000, 1 :250 000, 1 :400 000, 1 :1 000 000 
scale) ROTE cartographic representations, 
centroids of territorial units, digitized data of 
boundaries of territorial units for the 
republic level and the ROTE documenta-
tion. The computer-managed and main-
tained ROTE and EHIŠ records for the 
republic Slovenia and for communes is per-
formed by the Statistical Office of Socialist 
Republic of Slovenia, whereas for com-
munes alone also other qualified organiza-
tions may do it. In this way the ROTE e.g. 
EHIŠ records are computer-processed in 
nine slovene communes. In connection with 
both records there is also a house numbers 
determination and allocation performed by 
communal surveying and mapping ad-
ministrations; and the naming of settle-
ments and streets with streets markins, 
where they contribute professional support. 
The ROTE and EHIŠ have managed to com-
bine cooperation and harmonized work of 
two great systems: the geodetic and the 
statistical one. By means of spatial units 
geometry of administrative, functional and 
other character, the geodetic service is con-
nected with data from professional ad-
ministrative sphere; through data location it 
has made aggregation and distribution of 
wanted data possible. For the statistics the 
possibility of cartographic representation 
and visualization of spatially-oriented 
results of analytical processing meant a 
qualitative asset and a new dimension in 
statistical data transfer into social sphere. 
l. UNKS AMONG JOINT REGISTEFIS IN 
COMMUNES AND IN THE REPUBLIC 
Slovenia has set joint registers on the 
republic and commune levels. They repre-
sent basic multi-intemational databases of 
the Social lnformation System. On com-
m u ne level the following records are 
managed and maintained: The Register of 
177 
178 Geodetski vestnik 4/1989 
Resident Population, ROTE, EHIŠ and 
Register of Private Craft Estabishements. 
Forthe Slove ne territory the Statistical Office 
of Socialist Republic of Slovenia manages 
and maintains: The Central Register of 
Population, Central Register of Organiza-
tions and Communities (e.g. Register of 
Enterprises and their Establishements), 
RTE (ROTE), EHIŠ and Register of Private 
Craft Establishements for SR Slovenia. 
Unique identifications form the basis for 
mutual linking of joint registers (Djordjevi6 
1986): The Personal Registration Number, 
Registration Number, Standard Code of 
Territorial Unit and House Number. Unique 
identifications will enable economic and 
uniform defining of register units and a pos-
sibility of linking data from other records. 
The EHIŠ is connected with the Register of 
Residental Population, e.g. with the Central 
Register of,Poeulation; the connection be-
tween the EHIS and Register of Organiza-
tions and Communities is in its early phase 
of realization. The connection of the EHIŠ 
with the Registers of Private Craft Estab-
lishements and with the Register of Private 
Craft Establishements for SR Slovenia is 
planned. 
4. PAESENT AND FUTURE DEVELOPE-
MENT OF ROTE AND EHIŠ 
In communes comunal (e.g. municipal) in-
formation systems are in the phase of being 
set up. They will connect data of communal 
administrative agencies and services such 
as: Communal Surveying and Mapping Ad-
m in istrations, Internat Affairs with the 
Register Office, Tax Office, National 
Defence Office, Personal Service, Commit-
tee for Environment and Physical Planning 
and Economy, and various Self-managing 
Communities of lnterest (Health Service, So-
cial Welfare ... ) and others. Communal sur-
veying and mapping administrations join 
these systems with the EHIŠ data, e.g. with 
a house number, its belonging street and 
settlement, which is connected with the ad-
dress of an inhabitant from the Register of 
Resident Population, Horizontal connec-
tions among data in several systems will be 
created to uniform immediate use of data 
from the original source of maintained data. 
In the same way also other data from the 
ROTE and EHIŠ could be taken over from 
the other systems; the backup data would 
show the correctness and mutual adjust-
ment of the compared data. 
Preparations for software to support manag-
ing and maintaining of ROTE and EHIŠ in 
communes on personal computers are 
made. This will result in decentralization of 
computer processing and it will enable their 
grater applications. Dataprocessing in com-
munes has certain adventages as to central-
ized dataprocessing at the Statistical Office 
of Socialist Republic of Slovenia, such as 
shorter response tirne, dataprocessing on 
site apart from central system and greater 
adjustment and functionality of the system. 
The verical data flow will enable to connect 
data of the communal surveying and map-
ping administrations with those of the 
Republican Surveying and Mapping Ad-
ministration and the Statistical Office of 
Socialst Republic of Slovenia. Thus the 
ROTE and EHIŠ data will be connected with 
data from other joint registers and with field 
agencies and organizations data for other 
activities (forestry, agriculture, traffic, rail-
roads, water works ... ). 
Since 1983, a project is going on to digitize 
territorial units boundaries and centroids of 
buildings with house numbers on the basis 
of ROTE and EHIŠ data on cartographic 
representations on 1 :5 000 (exceptionaly 
1 :1 O 000 scale) (Lipej 1987). Co-ordinates of 
boundary points forterritorial units contours 
and centroids of buildings with house num-
bers are set in the Gauss-Krueger co-or-
dinates system. Altogether there are already 
digitized 60% recorded territorial units 
boundaries from the ROTE and 60% 
centroids of buildings with a house number 
from EHIŠ in 35 communes, which cover 
52% of ali Slovene territory. There is a plan 
to digitize territorial units' boundaries and 
centroids with house numbers for alt other 
communes till 1990. This will enable 
processing and presentation of the results 
of the 1991 census of population with 
thematic cartography. The co-ordinates of 
centroids ali basic territorial units are also 
determinated. 
Territorial units' boundaries contours, co-or-
dinates presented, their centroids and 
179 
Bokna Liptj Yugostavta Rcpuhlican survcying and mappiog 
180 
ROTE ANDEHIŠ-THE BASIS FOR SPATIAL DATA DETERMINA;~~~~to;.iJft~T';:_t10NLjubljana 
JOINT REGISTERS 
of SR Slovenia 
ROTE 
EHIŠ 
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(ICA) '89 - BUDAPEST 
Geodetski vestnik 4/1989 
!k,kna Lipq Yugoslavia . ~cpu~licun furvcying aml mapping 
ROTE AND EHIŠ: THE BASIS FOR SPATIAL DATA DETERMINA~1~~',',.'_!:ft
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1-1•• INTERNATIONAL CARTOGRAPHIC CONFERENCE 
(ICA) '89 • BUDAPEST 
181 
centroids of buildings with a house number 
represent geocoded databases. This form 
the basis for co-ordinate connection data 
and information presentation bound to ter-
ritorial space division. Attached to space 
units and house numbers in co-ordinate 
form there will be also - next to geodetic data 
and statistics - adequatly adjusted data from 
agriculture, forestry, waterworks and supp-
ly, planning and others. 
Merging and further development of the 
ROTE and EHIŠ into the Register of Spatial 
Units (Lipej 1988) will contribute - with 
geocodes and gradual decentralization of 
computer processing of these data in com-
munes - to a higher level of data processing 
and to greater application of data collection. 
Because of their uniformity, the geocodes 
represent (Zakrajšek 1988) ideal iden-
tificators of other data and serve for verifica-
ti on of space position accuracy; data 
unchangibility in tirne anbles record keep-
ing of changes ol characteristics of other 
entities in various tirne intersections (for set-
t le me nts, local communities, ... ). The 
geocoded data are a quality asset to linking 
and data transfer in communities and in the 
republic and for various data processing, 
syntheses, analyses, and projections in the 
framework of the Social lnformation System. 
The software for managing and main-
tainance of the Register oi Spatial Units, 
which is beeing prepared (Rozman 1985-
1988), is adopted for personal computers. It 
enables mathematical operations with ter-
ritorial units, which are presented by a point, 
chain and areal: area calculations, neigh-
bouring territorial units retrieval, addresing 
determination and graphics: territorial units 
field sheets, determination and window field 
sheets, gaining attribute information from 
the graphical one, the ROTE and EHIŠ data 
linkeage with data from other registers and 
records with field sheets in a form of 
thematic maps. In fact, the Register of Spa-
tial Units represents a certain area of infor-
m atio n system application, it is 
multi-intential and is either directly or in-
directly accesible to various users. 
In other Yugoslav republics and autono-
mous provinces the first phase is going on 
- to establish a similar system in this calen-
dar year to be able to join the 1991 census 
of population of higher quality, 
5. ORIEIIITATiOIII TOWARDS 
GEOGRAPHICAl IIIIFORMATIOIII SYS· 
TEMS 
According to one definition, Geographical 
lnformation System (GIS) (Borrough 1987) 
is the powerful set of tools for spatial data 
collecting, storing, retrieving at will, analys-
ing, displying and distributing. It is com-
puter-aided information system which 
anables users (Chorley 1988) a rapid and 
simple access to large data qualities, mutual 
linking, analysing anda data modelling and 
evaluating of variant suggestions with a 
possibility of various forms of outputs such 
as plans, graphs, diagrams, lists and other 
statistical interpretations. The broad 
scheme of GIS enables its multi-intent ap-
plication (Tomlison 1987, Chorley 1988) in 
planning, management, administration, 
public services, agriculture, forestry, land 
use, environmental monitoring, defence 
and security systems, transport, civil en-
gineering, mineral exploitation, property 
and land parcel data and others. 
Yugoslavia has not come far, yet. The Geo-
graphical and Land Registration lnforma-
tion System (GIZIS) (lnfosistem 1988) 
project, which should establish databases 
of geocoded data in Yugoslavia, is stili in its 
conceptual scheme. But lirst data in records 
and registers have to be adequatly read-
justed and partly reorganized to be used in 
these systems. The ROTE and EHIŠ 
geocoded data are only the first step 
towards creating GIS in Slovenia and 
Yugoslavia. To achieve this the republic and 
communes must obtain hardware and 
sottware; they must reinforce additionally 
educate professional staff. 
IS. CO!IIClUSION 
In Slovenia, the geodetic service (the 
Republican and individually Communal 
and Mapping Administrations) in connec-
tion with the Statistical Office of Socialist 
Republic of Slovenia have set up the ROTE 
and EHIŠ records. In the first phase they 
were updated in classical form. As the basis 
ol the Register of Spatial Units they are 
182 Geodetski vestnik 4/1989 
linked with other joint registers and 
databases in communes and in the 
republic. Territorial units and buildings with 
a house number represent - due to their 
uniform space location determination - the 
basis for spatial determination of various 
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