The Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC) is a NASA data center that bridges the gap between earth science and social science. It provides open-access GIS datasets that combine environmental data with human and socioeconomic factors. If you're mapping climate impacts, urbanization, health risks, or development, SEDAC is one of the best sources of global-scale spatial data.
What Is SEDAC?
SEDAC is operated by CIESIN at Columbia University, in partnership with NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS). Its mission is to support sustainable development, disaster risk reduction, and environmental planning. The data focuses on the human dimensions of global change.
Key Dataset Categories
Population and Settlement
- Gridded Population of the World (GPW): Global population density.
- Urban Extents: Delineations of built-up urban areas.
- Population Exposure: Estimates of people exposed to climate risks or hazards.
Environment and Climate
- Climate Risk Indicators: Social and economic vulnerability to climate change.
- Sea Level Rise Impact Zones: Population and infrastructure at risk.
- Air Pollution Data: Including PM2.5 exposure.
Health and Infrastructure
- Global Roads Open Access Dataset (gROADS): Road networks worldwide.
- Health vulnerability maps: Related to climate and disaster risk.
Land and Agriculture
- Agro-ecological zones
- Land use and land cover change
- Cropland and irrigation estimates
Geographic Coverage
Most SEDAC datasets are global or cover low- and middle-income countries.
Resolution varies by dataset:
- Population and exposure maps: 1 km to 5 km resolution
- Urban extent: variable by source
- Some datasets are provided in gridded rasters; others as shapefiles or tabular data.
Accessing the Data
You can download data directly from:
Formats include:
- GeoTIFF
- Shapefile
- NetCDF
- CSV with geographic identifiers
Each dataset comes with detailed metadata, user guides, and citations.
Tools and Services
- Map Viewer: Browse and visualize datasets online.
- Data Downloader: Select and download regions of interest.
- APIs and WMS/WCS endpoints: For integration into web mapping platforms like Atlas or ArcGIS Online.
Common Use Cases
- Climate risk mapping – Combine temperature or sea level projections with population and infrastructure.
- Urban planning – Use settlement data to identify urban sprawl and infrastructure needs.
- Sustainable development analysis – Support SDG tracking using indicators like energy access or air pollution.
- Public health – Study exposure to climate hazards or air quality by region.
- Global comparisons – Map poverty, infrastructure, or land use across countries.
Using SEDAC Data in GIS
- Choose a dataset from the SEDAC portal.
- Download in GeoTIFF or shapefile format.
- Load into GIS software (Atlas, QGIS, ArcGIS).
- Clip, reproject, or analyze as needed.
- Combine with other sources (e.g., admin boundaries, local data).
Most datasets come ready to use, with aligned grids and WGS84 projection.
Licensing and Citation
SEDAC datasets are free to use for research, education, and policy purposes.
Each dataset includes citation guidelines and licensing terms (often Creative Commons or public domain).
Users are encouraged to credit NASA and CIESIN.
Limitations
- Some datasets are older (e.g., based on 2010 or 2015 inputs).
- Resolution is moderate (not building-level).
- Data may be modeled or estimated, not directly observed.
Despite this, SEDAC remains one of the most trusted sources for integrating human and environmental data.
