The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) is a platform that hosts thousands of open datasets related to global humanitarian crises, disaster response, and development. Managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), HDX provides easy access to geospatial and statistical data for use in GIS, planning, and policy work. If you're mapping refugee flows, disaster impacts, or health risks—HDX is one of the most trusted sources of open humanitarian data.
What Is HDX?
HDX is a data-sharing platform built by and for the humanitarian community.
It allows organizations to upload, share, and access data on:
- Natural disasters
- Conflicts and displacement
- Food security
- Health and education
- Climate and environmental risks
All datasets are openly licensed and downloadable in common formats.
Key Data Categories
HDX organizes its datasets into practical themes:
- Population and Demographics
- Health and Nutrition
- Infrastructure and Services
- Displacement and Migration
- Natural Hazards and Risks
- Climate and Environment
- Market Prices and Livelihoods
- Administrative Boundaries
Each theme is searchable by country or crisis.
Popular Datasets on HDX
- WorldPop: High-resolution population grids
- ACLED: Armed conflict events
- Facebook HRSL: Settlement-based population estimates
- WFP food prices: Market data for emergency planning
- IOM Displacement Tracking: Refugee and IDP movements
- UNHCR refugee statistics
- COD-AB: Common Operational Datasets on Administrative Boundaries
These are regularly updated and widely used by NGOs, UN agencies, and researchers.
How to Access HDX
- Go to data.humdata.org
- Use the search bar or browse by country, crisis, or organization
- Filter by file format (CSV, GeoJSON, shapefile, etc.)
- Download directly or preview on the site
You can also subscribe to updates or access data via the HDX API.
GIS Integration
HDX supports GIS workflows with:
- Shapefiles and GeoJSONs: For boundaries, settlements, and service points
- Raster datasets: For population, climate, or hazard layers
- Metadata-rich CSVs: With location fields for point mapping
- Web Map Services (WMS): Available for some featured datasets
Data is compatible with QGIS, ArcGIS, and browser-based GIS platforms like Atlas.
Common Use Cases
- Disaster response – Map flood zones and affected populations
- Refugee support – Visualize camp locations and movements
- Public health – Overlay clinics with disease outbreaks or risk zones
- Food security – Track price shocks and supply issues by region
- Conflict analysis – Map events, casualties, and safe zones
HDX helps turn complex crisis data into actionable geographic insights.
Licensing
All datasets on HDX are openly licensed—usually under Creative Commons or public domain terms.
You can use them freely in research, planning, and reporting with proper attribution.
Tips for GIS Users
- Start with COD-AB boundaries to match admin levels across datasets.
- Check data freshness—most crisis data is time-sensitive.
- Use dataset preview maps to spot geographic gaps or errors.
- Combine statistical and spatial layers for richer analysis.
- Use the API or data package links for programmatic access.
Who Uses HDX?
- Humanitarian organizations (Red Cross, UN agencies, NGOs)
- Crisis mappers and analysts
- Government emergency services
- Researchers and journalists
- Civic tech and data visualization teams
