Top GIS
Data Sources
Discover the best GIS data sources to use in your projects and research
American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) provides detailed U.S. demographic and socioeconomic data ideal for GIS analysis.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Explore how Bureau of Labor Statistics data supports job and wage mapping in GIS.
CHELSA
Climate datasets used to study environmental and geographic phenomena
Consumer Data Research Centre
Explore the Consumer Data Research Centre's geographic datasets on UK consumer behavior, housing, and retail.
Copernicus Open Access Hub
Copernicus Open Access Hub provides free, high-resolution satellite imagery from the Sentinel satellite program.
Corine Land Cover
Standardized land cover maps for 39 European countries with change tracking from 1990 to 2018.
DIVA-GIS
DIVA-GIS is a free geospatial data source offering global administrative boundaries, climate data, and biodiversity datasets. Ideal for GIS professionals, researchers, and conservationists, it provides GIS-ready formats like Shapefiles and GeoTIFFs
Dynamic World
Near real-time 10m global land cover from Google and WRI, updated with every new Sentinel-2 image.
EOS Data Analytics
EOS Data Analytics provides high-resolution satellite imagery, AI-driven remote sensing tools, and real-time environmental monitoring.
ERA5
Hourly global climate reanalysis data from 1940 to present at 31km resolution, produced by ECMWF.
ESA WorldCover
Free 10-meter resolution global land cover from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2, classifying 11 land cover types.
European Space Agency
ESA Earth Observation Data provides free, high-resolution satellite imagery from the Sentinel missions, covering land, ocean, and atmosphere. With data for climate monitoring, disaster response, and GIS applications, it's a top resource for researchers and professionals.
Eurostat
Eurostat provides harmonized European statistics for population, economy, and infrastructure.
FAO GeoNetwork
FAO GeoNetwork provides free, high-quality geospatial data for agriculture, food security, land use, and climate research. With global datasets, interactive maps, and GIS-ready formats, it's an essential tool for researchers, policymakers, and sustainability experts.
FEMA Flood Maps
Official U.S. flood hazard zones, base flood elevations, and floodplain boundaries used for insurance and planning.
FIRMS
Near real-time active fire detections from NASA satellites, updated multiple times daily with 3–4 hour latency.
GBIF
Over 2.5 billion georeferenced species occurrence records from the world's largest open biodiversity platform.
GEBCO
Global ocean bathymetry at 15 arc-second resolution from the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans.
geoBoundaries
geoBoundaries provides free, open political boundary shapefiles for every country in the world. Download national and subnational borders in GIS formats for mapping, analysis, and policy projects.
Geofabrik
Geofabrik provides free, structured OpenStreetMap (OSM) data extracts for GIS, navigation, and urban planning.
Geoplatform.gov
A hub for the discovery and distribution of geospatial data, analytics, and tools
Global Administrative Areas
Global Administrative Areas (GADM) provides free, high-resolution administrative boundary data for every country. With detailed subdivisions, multi-level GIS support, and global coverage, it's a must-have resource for urban planning, policy research, and geospatial analysis.
Global Flood Database
The Global Flood Database offers satellite-derived maps of 913 flood events from 2000 to 2018, detailing extent and duration.
Global Forest Watch
Global Forest Watch (GFW) is a free, real-time forest monitoring platform providing satellite data on deforestation, wildfires, and land use.
Global Solar Atlas
Free solar irradiation and PV power potential data at 250m resolution for any location on Earth.
Global Wind Atlas
Free wind speed and power density data at 250m resolution and multiple hub heights for energy planning.
Google Earth Engine
Google Earth Engine provides free, cloud-based access to satellite imagery, climate data, and geospatial analytics.
Google Open Buildings
AI-derived building footprints for 1.8 billion buildings across Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Humanitarian Data Exchange
The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) is an open data platform for humanitarian crises and development.
HydroSHEDS
Global hydrological data including river networks, watershed boundaries, and drainage directions from WWF.
INSPIRE Geoportal
INSPIRE Geoportal provides free, standardized geospatial data for Europe, including administrative boundaries, environmental monitoring, and transport networks.
Kontur
Kontur offers global, hexagon-based geospatial datasets for applications in disaster response, urban planning, climate analysis, and market research.
LandsatLook Viewer
LandsatLook Viewer is a free, easy-to-use tool for accessing Landsat satellite imagery. With decades of historical data, high-resolution multispectral images, and global coverage, it's a top resource for GIS professionals and researchers.
Mapillary
Crowdsourced street-level imagery covering 190+ countries, with AI-detected map features like signs and road markings.
Microsoft Building Footprints
AI-derived building footprints for over 1.2 billion buildings worldwide, free and open for GIS analysis.
Microsoft Planetary Computer
Free cloud platform with petabytes of geospatial data and integrated compute for large-scale Earth science.
Ministerio de Transportes
Explore GIS data sources from the Ministries of Transport in Spain, Colombia, and Peru. Access transportation networks, infrastructure, and mobility data for planning and analysis.
MODIS
MODIS provides free, global satellite data for climate monitoring, land cover analysis, and disaster response.
NASA Earthdata
NASA Earthdata is a leading source of free, scientific-grade satellite data for climate, land, ocean, and atmospheric research. With access to MODIS, Landsat, GRACE, and other Earth observation satellites, it provides high-resolution, long-term datasets for GIS professionals and researchers.
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) provides free, high-quality geospatial data, including elevation models, topographic maps, and navigation resources.
National Land Cover Database (NLCD)
U.S. land cover and land change data at 30-meter resolution, updated every 2–3 years since 2001.
Natural Earth
Natural Earth is a free and open-source GIS data source, providing high-quality vector and raster datasets for cartographers, researchers, and GIS professionals. With political boundaries, physical geography, and infrastructure data, it's easy to use and well-organized. Available in multiple scales and standard formats, Natural Earth is a must-have for mapping and spatial analysis projects. Download it today!
NOAA
Weather, climate, ocean, and atmospheric datasets from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the UK's go-to source for census, population, and geographic data.
OpenAddresses
OpenAddresses is a global open data project providing geocoded street address data for GIS and geocoding applications.
Opendatasoft
Opendatasoft is a platform hosting thousands of public GIS datasets from cities, agencies, and companies.
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is one of the best free and open-source geospatial data sources. With constantly updated roads, buildings, and land use data, OSM is perfect for GIS, urban planning, navigation, and research. It offers global coverage, multiple formats, and developer-friendly APIs. Whether you need offline maps, real-time updates, or detailed geographic features, OSM is an essential tool for spatial analysis.
OpenTopography
OpenTopography provides free, high-resolution elevation and LiDAR data for GIS, remote sensing, and environmental analysis.
OS Data Hub
OS Data Hub provides free and premium geospatial data for Great Britain, including detailed maps, road networks, elevation models, and administrative boundaries.
Overture Maps
Overture Maps offers open, high-quality map data by integrating contributions from various organizations, ensuring comprehensive and accurate geospatial information.
planet.osm
Continually updated snapshot of the data collected by OpenStreetMap (OSM)
SEDAC
SEDAC offers global GIS datasets that combine environmental and socioeconomic data. Explore population exposure, climate risk, and land use layers for mapping sustainability and development challenges.
Sentinel Hub
Cloud-based platform for streaming and processing Sentinel, Landsat, and other satellite imagery through APIs.
SoilGrids
Global soil property maps at 250m resolution covering texture, organic carbon, pH, and more from ISRIC.
SRTM
Near-global elevation data at 30-meter resolution from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission.
STAC Index
The STAC Index catalogs open, cloud-native geospatial datasets using the STAC metadata standard.
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada provides essential data and geographic files for mapping population, housing, jobs, and health in Canada.
ThinkHazard
ThinkHazard! offers accessible natural hazard risk assessments and guidance for over 190 countries. Use it to identify risks like floods, earthquakes, and heatwaves for planning and development projects.
TIGER/Line
TIGER/Line shapefiles from the U.S. Census Bureau are essential for mapping geographic boundaries like tracts, counties, and ZIP codes.
U.S. Geological Survey
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) offers essential GIS data on terrain, water, land cover, and natural hazards in the U.S.
UNEP Data
A leading entity in global environmental issues
United States Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau provides the core demographic and geographic data for GIS mapping in the U.S.
USGS Earth Explorer
USGS Earth Explorer is one of the best free sources for satellite imagery and geospatial data. With access to Landsat, Sentinel, MODIS, and elevation models, it provides high-quality data for GIS, environmental monitoring, and urban planning. Its extensive historical archive and multiple formats make it a valuable tool for professionals and researchers.
WDPA
The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) provides global GIS data on terrestrial and marine protected areas.
World Bank Data
The most reputable sources for comprehensive global data, offering insights crucial for economic development, policymaking, and understanding international dynamics
World Resources Institute
The World Resources Institute (WRI) provides free, high-quality environmental data for GIS, climate research, and sustainability projects.
WorldClim
WorldClim provides free, high-resolution climate data, including temperature, precipitation, and future climate projections.
WorldPop
Open, high-resolution population data from WorldPop gives GIS users a detailed view of where people live.
