Here in South Africa... (Score 1)

the government survey department has 1:50000 scale GIS data of the whole country,and greater detail of cities & towns. They used to charge 200 rand (~ $30) per 1/25th of a degree square; basically they were subsidising their paper maps (which are very cheap) with the sale of electronic info. Since we got our Freedom of Info Act, they've had to give away the GIS info in a standard format at the cost only of the CD-R's it's burned on.