Contact

Finding geospatial data for international countries is not easy because most countries do not to make their geospatial data freely accessible. Please also visit our GIS/Geospatial Data - World page to find data with global coverage.

North America (U.S. excluded - please see GIS Data - U.S.)

National Atlas: Raw Data Download - North American Atlas
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp-na.html
Nationalatlas.gov provides a comprehensive, maplike view into the enormous wealth of geospatial and geostatistical data collected for the United States. A small-scale map of North America was made using a set of basic map information provided by national atlas programs in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Now the framework raw data that was used to produce this map is available from nationalatlas.gov.

North American Transportation Atlas Data (NORTAD)
http://www.bts.gov/publications/
north_american_transportation_atlas_data/
North American Transportation Atlas Data (NORTAD) is a CD-ROM produced by the department’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), whose files are also available from this website. NORTAD is a set of geographic data of transportation facilities for each country on the continent. These data include geospatial information for transportation modal networks and intermodal terminals, and related attribute information.

Canada: The Atlas of Canada
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/
The Atlas of Canada provides authorative, current and accessible geographic information products at a national level. Included are interactive mapping sites, downloadable images and data, and WMS (Web Map Services.)

Canada: The MapPlace
http://www.mapplace.ca
MapPlace facilitates easy access to the maps and databases of the BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. Create your own maps using interactive data sets. Create reports and download data from selected themes and objects.

Statistics Canada, Census Geography
http://geodepot.statcan.ca/diss/index_e.cfm
Learn about Canadian census geography online through maps, data and supporting reference material. See also: http://www.statcan.ca/english/mapsgeo/

Canada: National Land and Water Information Services
http://www.agr.gc.ca/nlwis-snite/
The National Land and Water Information Service is an internet-base service being developed over the next four years to provide on-line access to agri-environmental information to help Canadians make responsible land-use decision.

Canada: GeoConnections
http://cgdi.gc.ca/
GeoConnections by Canadian Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) helps decision makers use online location-based (or geospatial) information, such as maps and satellite images. The program focuses on working with partners in public health, public safety and security, the environment and sustainable development, Aboriginal matters and geomatics technology development.

Canada: GeoBase
http://www.geobase.ca
GeoBase is a federal, provincial and territorial government initiative that is overseen by the Canadian Council on Geomatics (CCOG). Through the GeoBase portal, users have access to quality geospatial information at no cost and with restricted use.

Mexico: Georeferenced Population Data Sets of Mexico
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/mexico.html
The Georeferenced Population Data Sets of Mexico consists of the following products: Population Database of Mexico; Urban Place, Time-Series Population Spreadsheet of Mexico; Urban Place GIS Coverage of Mexico; GIS Coverage of Mexican Localities; GIS Coverage of Mexican States; GIS Coverage of Mexican Municipalities; Raster Based GIS Coverage of Mexican Population; and GIS of Mexican states, municipalities, and islands.

Mexico: Vectorial Data Set of the Mexico Topographic Series (1:1,000,000), Instituto Nacional de Estadística, Geografía e Informática (INEGI)
http://mapserver.inegi.gob.mx/data/inf1m/?c=720
The National Institute of Statistic, Geography and Informática (INEGI) coordinates the National Systems Statistical and of Geographic Information and to offer the public service of statistical and geographic information on the territory, the population and the economy of Mexico.

Central America ^ back to top

Central American Vegetation/Land Cover Classification and Conservation Status
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/conservation/proarca.html
This is a spatial data product, available in ESRI shapefile format, that provides an assessment of the degree to which both existing and proposed terrestrial protected area networks protect/would protect landscape-level biodiversity.This mapping project assessed the degree to which both existing and proposed terrestrial protected area networks protect/would protect landscape-level biodiversity, which are represented as vegetation types delineated from remotely-sensed imagery.

Puerto Rico: Portal de Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) del Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico
http://www.gis.gobierno.pr/
The Vestibule of Systems of Información Geográfica (SIG) of the Associated Free State of Puerto Rico serves as a geographic data center for governmental agencies and the citizenship in general. Our primary target is to foment the responsible use, coordinated and standardized of the spatial data so that usuary the geographic information is useful to their manifold.

Europe ^ back to top

EUROGI: European Umbrella Organisation for Geographic Information
http://www.eurogi.org/
EUROGI is an independent, non-governmental and non-profit organization that represents the European Geographic Information Community.

France: Institut Geographique National, Produits Gratuits
http://www.ign.fr/rubrique.asp?rbr_id=2749&lng_id=EN
Free downloadable cartographic information from the Institut Geographique National of France. See conditions to use these data.

Portugal: Instituto Geográfico Português, Downloads Gratuitos
http://www.igeo.pt/Frameset-egeo.htm
Free downloadable cartographic information from the Portuguese Geographic Institute (PGI).

Spain, Catalunya: Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya
http://www.icc.es/portal/index_c.jsp?lang=en_UK&profile=ciu
The Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya (ICC), is a public law entity of the Generalitat de Catalunya (Autonomous Government of Catalonia). Check also digital products download to find more cartographic information to download.

Russia: Russian Federation GIS Data
http://wagda.lib.washington.edu/data/geography/world/
russia/
Digital spatial boundary data of Russian Federation with population and election-related attribute data hosted by the Univ. of Washington Libraries.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Spatial Data Compilation of Geodynamic, Tectonic, Metallogenic, Mineral Deposit, and Geophysical Maps and Associated Descriptive Data for Northeast Asia
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1150/
The purpose of this publication is to provide a high-quality spatial data compilation (Geographical Information System or GIS) of geodynamic, mineral deposit, and metallogenic belt maps, and descriptive data for Northeast Asia for customers and users. This area consists of Eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China, South Korea, and Japan.

Asia ^ back to top

Afghanistan Information Management Service
http://www.aims.org.af
The AIMS project is building information management capacity in government and delivers information management services to organisations across Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: USGS Projects in Afghanistan
http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov/downloads.php
Download Landsat and ASTER imagery, SRTM DEMs, Soviet topographic sheets and various vector data sets for the country of Afghanistan. USGS has developed a comprehensive Landsat data set for Afghanistan that includes original and atmospherically corrected scenes as well as 3 band natural and false color composites.

Afghanistan: Natural-Color Image Mosaic of Afghanistan
http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/245/
The 50 tiled images in this dataset are natural-color renditions of the calibrated six-band Landsat mosaics created from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Spatial Data Compilation of Geodynamic, Tectonic, Metallogenic, Mineral Deposit, and Geophysical Maps and Associated Descriptive Data for Northeast Asia
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1150/
The purpose of this publication is to provide a high-quality spatial data compilation (Geographical Information System or GIS) of geodynamic, mineral deposit, and metallogenic belt maps, and descriptive data for Northeast Asia for customers and users. This area consists of Eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China, South Korea, and Japan.

China: County Population Census Data with Maps
CD 1 - Historical: 1953, 1964, 1982, 1990, 2000 (Nucat record)
CD 2 - 2000 only (Nucat record)
Created by the University of Michigan China Data Center, the CD products include the population Census data at count level, integrated with the county GIS maps (shapefiles), for 1953, 1964, 1982, 1990 and 2000. More data tables* are available from the China Data Center subscription-base data service. * note: exclude Census data (CDs only.)
Access Constraints: CDs are in-library use only. Ask for the CDs at the GovInfo Reference Desk.

China Dimensions
http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/china/
This site offers access to a unique data collection of China that has been designed to facilitate a wide range of natural science and socioeconomic research and educational activities. Included are Geographic Information System (GIS) databases that cover the administrative regions of China, presented at a scale of 1:1,000,000. These databases may be integrated with agricultural, land use, environmental, and socioeconomic data to track China's economic growth, population increases, and environmental change.

China Historical GIS
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~chgis/
The China Historical Geographic Information System, CHGIS, project was launched in January 2001 to establish a database of populated places and historical administrative units for the period of Chinese history between 222 BCE and 1911 CE. CHGIS provides a base GIS platform for researchers to use in spatial analysis, temporal statistical modeling, and representation of selected historical units as digital maps.

Japan: GIS Plaza of Statitics
http://www.e-stat.go.jp/SG1/estat/toukeiChiri.do?method=init
Click on the second item, ダウンロード, to access downloadable files. The GIS Plaza of Statistics provides small area statistics (including census demographic data) and thematic maps showing the distribution of statistical indicators for small areas (i.e. subdivision of municipalities) using the GIS. Note: text in Japanese only.

Japan GIS Datasets
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~chgis/japan/datasets.html
This site from Harvard provides historical GIS data for Japan including infrastructure and land and coastal boundaries as well as topographic images.

Africa ^ back to top

Africa Data Dissemination Service, Digital Map Data
http://earlywarning.usgs.gov/adds/mapdata.php
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) is an information system designed to identify problems in the food supply system that potentially lead to famine, flood, or other food-insecure conditions, in sub-Saharan Africa. Several downloadable geospatial map data files are available from this website. Also visit: http://earlywarning.usgs.gov/adds/index.php for more information.

FAO: Africover
http://www.africover.org/
MADE (Multipurpose Africover Databases on environmental resources) available for selected countries. Click to access data download site.

DEPHA: Data Exchange Platform for the Horn of Africa
http://www.depha.org/
This website provides geospatial data for the countries of Djibouti, Ethipoia, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Eritrea. Data includes data for roads, place names, drainage, railways, boundaries, and other general GIS data in vector or raster format.

Southern Africa: SAHIMS
http://www.sahims.net/gis/Gis%20Input/
GIS_library_Regional.asp
SAHIMS GIS Data server offers easily accessible standardised data provided by various United Nations, non-governmental organisations and government agencies.

Namibia: Maps and Other Data for North-Central Namibia
http://www.met.gov.na/programmes/nnep/
This site contains environmental information and maps for north-central Namibia, collected from various sources across several sectors, both government and non-government.

Oceania ^ back to top

Australia: Geoscience Australia, Free Data Downloads
https://www.ga.gov.au/products/servlet/controller?
event=DEFINE_PRODUCTS
Various geospatial data downloads are available from here. The license registration is required. Also try Australian Spatial Data Directory (ASDD) to search for more Australian dateasets.

New Zealand: Statistics NZ, Digital Boundaries
http://www.stats.govt.nz/statistics-by-area/geography-mapping/digital-boundaries.htm
Digital Boundaries are electronic files of the various geographic boundaries (in digitised form) for use in mapping and geographic information systems (GIS). Meshblock boundaries, and boundaries of larger areas, are available digitally.

Last updated: April 13, 2009

Maps and GIS