NAVTEQ(TM), founded in 1985 in Silicon Valley, California, and currently based in Chicago, Illinois, provides accurate, detailed geographic databases spanning dozens of countries on six continents, used for digital navigation systems. The data is gathered by teams of researchers using state-of-the-art equipment with proprietary GPS-based collection technology and GWS software, who fan out across the world, collecting precise data on the locations of tunnels, physical barriers, road heights, private roads, walkways, roads, bridges, and highways for use in vehicle navigation systems, on Internet websites, for governmental routing plans, express mail services, wireless users and emergency safety plans. The skillfully recorded information touches the lives of everyone across the globe, as the firm's digital map data provides millions of Points of Interests (POIs) for such locations as restaurants, hotels, landmarks, gas stations and hospitals, as well as addresses, signage and speed restrictions. NAVTEQ has over 3,000 employees in 30 countries with over 174 offices. In addition to its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, the firm has a regional European headquarters in Veldhoven, the Netherlands, and a state-of-the-art production facility in Fargo, North Dakota, with support centers located in Seoul, South Korea, Mexico City, Mexico, and Yokohama, Japan. NAVTEQ is publicly traded and can be found on the NYSE under the NVT symbol.