Useful Web Sites for Maps and GIS


This web list has been selected and compiled by the Cartographic Section.
Reference Sites- Map Galleries- Map Collections- Gazetteers- Map Making on line- IGO Agencies- Digital Datasets- Remote Sensing Data & Information- GIS for Dummies- GIS Applications online- Misc.


Comments are very welcomed, do not hesitate to contact us
E-Mail: cartog@un.org
Thanks !

    IMPORTANT NOTICE & DISCLAIMER:
    This is the United Nations cartographic web site. Links to other sites are provided for information only. The inclusion of these links and their content does not imply official endorsement or approval whatsoever by the United Nations.


    Reference Sites
    The WWWL Cartography Resources
    The Department of Geography and Earth Science of George Mason University offers map resource links to commercial and federal mapping, map libraries and GIS.

    Numerical Cartography Laboratory
    The Numerical Cartography Laboratory (N.C.L.) Home Page of the Department of Geography at Ohio State University offers similar links with emphasis on numerical cartography.

    Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research
    Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research of the University of Iowa provides a very extensive, well-maintained list of data resources.

    Universe
    Hosted by the Alexandria Digital Library Project. Provides a list of web sites (by world region).

    EPA
    Access to GIS Spatial Data Sites from Environment Protection Agency site. Most of them concern the U.S..

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    Map Galleries
    Relief Web Map Center
    Contains different types of maps: ReliefWeb template maps of geographical areas containing basic information, humanitarian community information maps, general interest maps from various sources and  clickable maps.

    UNHCR
    Contains maps related to refugee issues.

    UNU
    UN University site includes maps of all countries of the world classified by region and vector format of the world's continent

    MCCIS
    MCCIS is a Military Maritime Command and Control System, which has been developed and maintained for members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This site contains a map for every country.

    CIA
    The World Factbook is a detailled view of each country in the world through facts and statistics on such topics as population, economy and government. The book includes maps and flags for each country.

    INSC
    International Nuclear Safety Center provides maps of nuclear plants.


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    Map Collections
    Harvard Map Collection
    Since its inception almost two centuries ago, has grown to encompass 400,000 maps, 6,000 atlases and 5,000 reference books.

    Geosciences Map Collection
    This website offers a variety of cartographic materials and tools, presents the University's map collection and well-organized links to sites offering digital maps.

    Earth Science & Map Library
    The map collection of University of California at Berkeley contains over 310,00 maps. Their online maps include example topographic maps, nautical charts, facsimile maps and aerial photography (all useful teaching resources).

    Bodleian Library
    The map collection of the University of Oxford is the seventh largest collection of maps in the world: over 1,000 000 maps and 20,000 atlases.

    Perry-Castañeda Library
    Situated at UT-Austin holds over 230,000 maps. They also have a cartography glossary page. And extensive range of city plans from around the world available for download.

    New York Public Library
    This is site of the Map Division of the New York Public Library (at 42nd Street and Fifth Avenue). Established in 1898, holds some 405,000 maps, 18,000 atlases and books

    CIA Maps and Publications
    Listing of all CIA's unclassified maps and publications available to the public for purchase.


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    Gazetters
    Australian Geographic Place Names
    This site allows to make queries (and display maps) by place name, place type and/or region.

    Querying Canadian Geographical Names
    Current Canadian placenames with basic location maps as well.

    GEOnet Names Server
    The GEOnet Names Server (GNS) provides access to the National Imagery and Mapping Agency's (NIMA) database of foreign geographic feature names.The database contains about 3.3 Million placenames outside of the U.S.. This is one of the best gazetteer to try for worldwide searches.

    Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names
    The TGN contains nearly 1 million place names representing approximately 900,000 places. Each place has attributes, including names, place types and coordinates. The places are arranged in hierarchies representing the current political and physical world.


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    Maps Making on Line


    CEO
    Centre for Earth Observation provides Data Visualization. You can create your own country maps, (world maps), display and manipulate information generated by Earth Observation satellites

    TIGER Mapping Service
    Create maps on-line from US Census TIGER Files. Comprehensive site with many options for the map appearance.

    NAISMap2
    By Canadian National Atlas Information Service. NAISMap allows you to view and manipulate National Atlas spatial data layers and construct your own map. An interactive mapping tool for the geographic study of Canadian issues.

    Xearth Front End 1.0
    Create globe pictures.

    Design Map
    Interactive world map maker.

    Cornell University's Geoscience Information System
    Make custom designed maps in any region on earth and display available data and information on these maps


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    IGO Agencies
    NIMA
    National Imagery and Mapping Agency (U.S.) sites provides geospatial information and imagery information

    USGS
    List of USGS products, information, and services, including maps, satellite imagery and digital geospatial data.

    NOAA
    World Conservation Monitoring Centre
    World Conservation Monitoring Centre maintains a large and varied collection of databases concerning nature conservation.

    NCGIA
    Directory of products, data, and services (maps, satellite imagery and digital geospatial data) available from National Center for Geographic Information Analysis


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    Digital Datasets
    Digital Chart of the World Server
    Pennsylvania State University. Allows previewing and downloading of boundaries and layers of individual countries, in Arc/INFO export format, from ESRI's Digital Chart of the World data set.

    SEDAC
    Developed and operated by the Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center at Colubia University allows for the download of data. The site also offers data resources and data analysis tools.

    CITAS
    CITAS (China In Time And Space) data sets include vectorized base maps of China, georeferenced socioeconomic data and bibliographic resources.

    UNEP-GRID
    United Nations Environmental Programs Global Resources Information Databases:
    Who Statistical Information System
    Health and health-related statistical information from the World Health Organization.

    Digital Elevation Data
    Catalogue of Digital Elevation Data at the University of Edinburgh. It includes details of elevation and bathymetric data, together with a section on available software for the display and manipulation of these data.

    FAO/GIEWS
    Databases on African countries, Global Information and Early Warning System (from FAO) on food and agriculture. Country profiles, statistics, reports, remote sensing imagery, crop calendars, maps of administrative boundaries, population density, pest infestation, crop zones and climate.

    Geospatial Data Clearinghouse Entry Points
    The Geospatial Data Clearinghouse is a collection of over 100 spatial data servers, that have digital geographic data primarily for use in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), image processing systems, and other modelling software. These data collections can be searched through a single interface based on their descriptions, or metadata.

    MEGRIN
    >MEGRIN helps users build European mapping applications by providing information and digital map data from the National Mapping Agencies of more than 20 countries.

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    Remote Sensing Information & Data
    LANDSAT 7 FOT Homepage
    Information about Landsat 7, the last remote sensing spacecraft launched. Provides technical information on remote sensing. The Landsat links section is particularly useful.

    U.S. Geological Survey-EROS Data Center
    The EROS Data Center houses millions of images -- aerial photographs, mainly for mapping, and satellite images for scientific study. This page contains a selection of such images that users may download.

    NASA-RSD
    Visualization of Remote Sensing Data of the National Aeronautics & Space Administration website.

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    GIS for Dummies
    U.S. Geological Survey
    This site provides useful knowledge on GIS. Excellent site to better understand what is GIS and what you can do with GIS.


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    GIS Applications On Line

    HealthMap
    HealthMap is a joint WHO/UNICEF Programme based within the Division of Control of Tropical Diseases (CTD). The Programme was initially created in 1993 to establish a GIS to support management and monitoring of the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme. Since 1995, however, the scope of the work has been broadened to include the promotion and use of GIS for other disease control and public health programs.

    WFP Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping
    Since 1994, the World Food Program Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) project has provided start-up support to WFP country offices for: a) analyzing the vulnerability of target populations to food insecurity and their capacities for coping with disaster; and b) presenting the analysis with digital maps. This site contains vulnerability analysis maps for most countries.


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    Misc.
    IBRU
    The International Boundaries Research Unit site is the most useful site for international boundaries, hosted by the International Boundaries Research Unit at the University of Durham in UK. Although many reports include maps, this is more of a reference site for text of treaties, conflicts, etc.

    Global Climate Maps
    This site developed by the FAO, Includes free download of more than 50 georeferenced maps and image analysis software.