2015 - Iceland Becomes the First Recognized Local Chapter of OSM
OSM works because of its vast network of mapping groups, located in almost every country of the world. These diverse organizations come in many sizes and with many different missions. What they have in common is their ability to engage OpenStreetMap contributors within their local language, culture, and customs.
The idea of creating a process for formalized local chapters that could support a relationship between regional OpenStreetMap organizations and the OpenStreetMap Foundation was borrowed from the Wikimedia Foundation.
In 2015, Iceland became the first recognized Local Chapter:
“OpenStreetMap á Íslandi” is a subgroup of Hliðskjálf, an Icelandic society for open and free geographic information data. Well done to Jóhannes from Hliðskjálf who went through the process of getting this organisation set up as an OpenStreetMap Chapter! (source)
In 2019, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was established as a Local Chapter, the first one on the continent of Africa. In 2020, Argentina joined as a Local Chapter, the first one in South America. (source)