Historical information about states or cities can usually be interpreted using modern maps. However, mapping detailed historical information onto recent base maps causes large errors: over time, administrative boundaries change and placenames evolve. These need detailed research, which can be disseminated as an atlas or, more cheaply and conveniently, as a historical GIS. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are software systems that analyze and classify data for a particular geographical location. The members of the workshop held at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy, June 2nd to 4th, 2000 "wish to explore the potential for a truly European system. [...] By linking both boundary mapping and censuses, researchers could trace the 19th century impact of industrialisation, which rarely respected national borders". The website provides information about the workshop program, country surveys, project reports, background papers and links to associated projects.