KAS Software
Suppliers of map viewing and coordinate conversion software, bespoke digital maps, height data and gazetteers
KAS Software
Suppliers of map viewing and coordinate conversion software, bespoke digital maps, height data and gazetteers
Below is a comprehensive list of websites offering free GeoTIFF (specification), DEM or gazetteer data. If there are any dead links then please let me know, likewise if there are better sites available I'll try and include them if you tell me.
| ASTER & SRTM |
| National Mapping Agencies |
| WMS Viewers |
Most US Geotiffs are available for free download from the topoquest or libremap websites. Both sites, though differing in their overall approach, offer links to geotiff files on the www.archive.org website. For example the (randomly selected) Louisville, Alabama 1:24,000 scale topographic quadrangle may be downloaded from the topoquest Alabama or libremap Alabama web-pages, or may be directly downloaded as file http://www.archive.org/download/usgs_drg_al_31085_g5/o31085g5.tif. (You can use this C# program usgsdown.cs, to easily download multiple files directly from archive.org).
In the above example for the Louisville, Alabama quad file o31085g5.tif, the initial letter 'o' means a 1:24,000 scale file, the 31 refers to 31°North, 085 to 85°West and g5 refers to grid square g5, whereby the 1 degree square for 31°N,85°W is split into an 8x8 grid, each grid square 7.5' x 7.5', numbered 1 to 8 East to West, 'a' to 'h' South to North - g5 therefore occupying a place slightly to the west of centre in the second most northerly grid row, as below. (Table modified from that shown on topoquest download page for this quad file.)
| N32° W86° | N32° W85° | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| N31° W86° | N31° W85° |
The following conventions are used by the USGS for the first letter of their colour raster geotiff files (the 'o' in o31085g5.tif):
| Initial Letter | Description |
| c | 1:250,000 scale, generally covering 2° x 1° |
| f | 1:100,000 scale, covering 1° x ½° |
| i | 1:63,360 scale, used extensively for Alaska and generally covering 15' x 15' |
| k | 1:25,000 scale covering 7.5' x 7.5' |
| o | 1:24,000 scale covering 7.5' x 7.5' |
For all of the above for the state of Alaska, the width and height of the files can and does vary.
For those geotiff files not available from topoquest or libremap, there are a number of state-specific sites which contain downloadable USGS geotiffs, as well as (often) composite images, digital elevation and a host of other data:
There are a number of USGS sites worth visiting. Though they can involve a fair amount of random searching and trial-and-error to find what you're looking for, there's a prodigious amount of information available...
| USGS Link | Notes |
| US Geological Survey | Main USGS website |
| USGS Store | USGS Store |
| USGS Topographic Maps | USGS Topographic Maps |
| USGS National Geospatial Program | |
| US Topo - The National Map | USGS 7.5" Quadrangle GeoPDF® Maps |
| Historical Maps | The National Map: Historical Topographic Map Collection |
| USGS Seamless Data Warehouse | |
| USGS EROS | Earth Resources Observation and Science Center |
| USGS National Hydrography Dataset | |
| USGS EarthExplorer | |
| NED 1 arc second and NED 1/3 arc second Download Tool | High-quality digital elevation data |
| Link | Notes |
| geo.data.gov | |
| FS Geodata | Forestry Service Geodata Clearinghouse |
| USDA:NRCS | US Dept of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Geospatial Data Gateway |
| USGS NED Backdoor | Backdoor to US Seamless National Elevation Data |
ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) data has only one resolution:
The original data of ASTER GDEM is the property of METI and NASA. See this interesting review which succinctly covers that author's views on the efficaceousness of ASTER data versus SRTM.
SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) data comes in two resolutions:
| Link | Notes |
| ASTER | |
| EOSDIS - Reverb|Echo | ASTER ELevation data from NASA's Earth Observing System Data & Information System |
| Jet Propulsion Laboratory ASTER | NASA ASTER home page |
| LPDAAC | ASTER elevation data (USGS Global Data Explorer) |
| ASTER GDEM | ASTER Overview (Japanese site in English) |
| ASTER GDEM | ASTER elevation data download (Japanese Site in English) |
| SRTM | |
| USGS SRTM | |
| NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory | NASA SRTM home page |
| Global Land Cover Facility | |
| SRTM v2.1 downloads | Direct link to download directories for SRTM v2.1 3" data |
| CGIAR Consortium | SRTM 90m Digital Elevation Data (SRTM v4) |
| CGIAR Data Search | SRTM Data Selection |
| Viewfinder Panaroma | Corrected SRTMs (a very impressive work) |
| SRTM download site | Some very interesting US data |
Natural Resources Canada has an enormous amount of free geospatial data available for download, such as from their GeoGratis site. The available data includes 1:250,000 and 1:50,000 scale geotiffs, with excellent quality DEMs available for ftp or http download at a variety of resolutions.
| Link | Notes |
| NRC | Natural Resources Canada |
| Updated Toporama | Toporama – Topographic Maps |
| GeoGratis | GeoGratis Download Directory (1:50,000 & 1:250,000 scale geotiffs) |
| GeoBase | Geospatial data for all Canada |
| GeoBase DEMs | GeoBase 50k & 250k DEMs |
| Link | Notes |
| INEGI | Instituto Nacional De Estadistica Y Geografia |
| Link | Notes |
| IBGE | Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatica |
| IBGE Topographic Mapping | Various download links |
A variety of mapping data - including 1:250,000 and 1:1,000,000 scale geotiffs, height data on a grid of 50x50m and gazetteer and post code information - can be freely downloaded from the Ordnance Survey's OS OpenData website.
| Link | Notes |
| Ordnance Survey® | OSGB - National mapping agency | OS OpenData™ | OS OpenData overview |
| OS OpenData | Available data (50m Height, 1:250,000 geotiffs, 250,000 entry gazetteer) |
| mySociety OpenData | mySociety cache of OS OpenData |
| OS Open Space | WMS code for embedding OS maps |
| Link | Notes |
| IGN/NGI | Institut Geographique National/Nationaal Geografisch Instituut |
| Link | Notes |
| IGN | Institut National de L'Information Geographique et Forestiere |
| IGN SCAN 1000 | 1:1,000,000 scale geotiffs geo-referenced in Lambert93 |
The National Geographic Institute Maps website allows for the free download of digital geographic information, in particular 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scale raster maps. Registration required, and it is a bit of a trachle to get the (admittedly nice quality) actual data.
| Link | Notes |
| IGN Centro de Descargas | Instuto Geografico Nacional - Centro Nacional de Information Geografica |
LINZ (Land Information New Zealand) has available for free download 1:250,000 and 1:50,000 scale maps for the whole of New Zealand and associated islands and island groups using their Map Chooser Tool .
| Link | Notes |
| LINZ | Land Information New Zealand - National mapping agency |
| LINZ Topo Maps | |
| Map Chooser Tool | 1:50,000 & 1:250,000 geotiffs |
| Gazetteer | New Zealand Gazetteer of Place Names |
| NZGD2000 | NZGD1949 & NZGD2000 horizontal coordinates distortion grid |
| Link | Notes |
| USGS ARC | US Antarctic Resource Centre (250K Topographic Reconnaissance Maps) |
| Country | Agency |
| Europe | |
| Albania | ITU (Institutin Topografik t Ushtris) (NO LINK) |
| Andorra | SIGMA (Sistema d'Informació Geogràfica Mediambiental d'Andorra) |
| Austria | BEV (Bundesamt für Eich und Vermessungswesen) |
| Belarus | |
| Belgium | NGI/IGN (Nationaal Geografisch Instituut/Institut Geographique National) |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | |
| Bulgaria | GCACA (Агенция по геодезия, картография и кадастър) |
| Croatia (Hrvatska) | DGU (Državna Geodetska Uprava) |
| Czech Republic | CUZK (Český úřad zeměměřický a katastrální) |
| Cyprus | Dept of Lands & Surveys |
| Denmark | KMS (Kort & Matrikelstyrelsen) |
| Estonia | MAA-AMET (Estonian Land Board) |
| Finland | Maanmittauslaitos (National Land Survey of Finland) |
| France | IGN (Institut National de L'Information Geographique et Forestiere) Géoportail (le portail des territoires et des citoyens) |
| Germany | BKG (Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie) |
| Great Britain | OSGB (Ordnance Survey Great Britain) OSGB GPS GB GPS & Positioning Services BGS (British Geological Survey) |
| Greece | HMGS (Hellenic Military Geographical Service) |
| Guernsey | digimap |
| Hungary | FOMI |
| Iceland | LMI (Landmælingar Íslands) |
| Ireland | OSI (Ordnance Survey Ireland) |
| Italy | IGMI (Istituto Geografico Militare) |
| Jersey | digimap |
| Kosovo | |
| Latvia | LGIA (Latvijas Ģeotelpiskās informācijas aģentūra) |
| Liechtenstein | TBA |
| Lithuania | geoportal.lt |
| Luxembourg | ACT (Administration du cadastre et de la topographie) |
| Macedonia | KATASTAR |
| Malta | MEPA (Malta Environment & Planning Authority) |
| Moldova | ARFC (Agenţia Relaţii Funciare şi Cadastru a Republicii Moldova) |
| Monaco | |
| Montenegro | |
| Netherlands | RDNAP (Rijksdriehoeksmeting Normaal Amsterdams Peil) kadaster |
| Northern Ireland | OSNI/LPS (Land & Property Services) |
| Norway | statkart |
| Poland | GUGIK (Główny Urząd Geodezji i Kartografii) |
| Portugal | IGEO (Instituto Geográfico Português) |
| Romania | ANCPI (Agentia Nationala de Cadastru si Publicitate Imobiliara) |
| Russia | ROSREESTR |
| San Marino | |
| Serbia | RGZ (Republički geodetski zavod - Републички геодетски завод) |
| Slovakia | skgeodesy (Úrad geodézie, kartografie a katastra Slovenskej republiky) |
| Slovenia | geodetska |
| Spain | IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) |
| Sweden | lantmateriet |
| Switzerland | swisstopo |
| Turkey | HGK (Harita Genel Komutanlığı - General Command of Mapping) |
| Ukraine | GKI (НДІ Геодезії та Картографії) |
| North America | |
| Canada | NRCAN (Natural Resources Canada/Ressources naturelles Canada ) |
| Greenland | GEUS (Geological Survey of Denmark & Greenland) |
| Mexico | INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía) |
| USA | NIMA (National Imagery and Mapping Agency) |
| Asia | |
| Afghanistan | AGCO (Afghan Geodesy and Cartography Office) |
| Armenia | SNCO (Centre of Geodesy & Cartography) |
| Azerbaijan | DTXK (State Committee of Land & Cartography) |
| Bahrain | |
| Bangladesh | |
| Bhutan | |
| Brunei | Survey Department (Ministry of Development) |
| Burma/Myanmar | |
| Cambodia | |
| China | blum (National Administration of Surveying, Mapping & Geoinformation) |
| Georgia | MOE |
| India | Survey of India |
| Indonesia | BAKOSURTANAL |
| Iran | NCC |
| Iraq | |
| Israel | Survey of Israel |
| Japan | GSI (Geospatial Information Authority of Japan) |
| Jordan | |
| Kazakhstan | |
| Kuwait | |
| Kyrgyzstan | |
| Laos | |
| Lebanon | |
| Malaysia | |
| Mongolia | |
| Nepal | |
| North Korea | |
| Oman | NSAOM (National Survey Authority) |
| Pakistan | Survey of Pakistan |
| Philippines | NAMRIA (National Mapping & Resource Information Authority) |
| Qatar | GIS QATAR |
| Saudi Arabia | |
| Singapore | SLA (Singapore Land Authority) |
| South Korea | |
| Sri Lanka | |
| Syria | |
| Taiwan | |
| Tajikistan | |
| Thailand | |
| Timor | |
| Turkmenistan | |
| United Arab Emirates | |
| Uzbekistan | |
| Vietnam | |
| Yemen | |
| South America | |
| Argentina | IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) |
| Bolivia | IGM (Instituto Geografico Militar de Bolivia) |
| Brazil | IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) |
| Chile | IGM (Instituto Geográfico Militar) |
| Colombia | IGAC (Instituto Geografico Agustin Codazzi ) |
| Ecuador | IGM (Instituto Geográfico Militar ) |
| Guyana | |
| Paraguay | |
| Peru | |
| Suriname | |
| Uruguay | SGM (Servicio Geográfico Militar) |
| Venezuela | |
| Australasia | |
| Australia | Geoscience Australia |
| Fiji | lands (Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources) |
| Kiribati | |
| Nauru | |
| New Zealand | LINZ (Land Information New Zealand) |
| Palau | |
| Papua New Guinea | lands (Department of Lands and Physical Planning) |
| Samoa | |
| Tonga | |
| Tuvalu | |
| Vanuatu | |
| Central America and the Caribbean | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | |
| The Bahamas | |
| Barbados | |
| Belize | |
| Costa Rica | |
| Cuba | |
| Dominican Republic | |
| El Salvador | |
| Guatemala | IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) |
| Haiti | |
| Honduras | |
| Jamaica | NLA (National Land Agency) |
| Nicaragua | INETER (Instituto Nicaragüense de Estudios Territoriales) |
| Panama | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | |
| Saint Lucia | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | |
| Africa | |
| Algeria | INCT (Infrastucture Nationale des Donnees Geographique) |
| Angola | |
| Benin | |
| Botswana | |
| Burkina Faso | |
| Burundi | |
| Cameroon | |
| Cape Verdi | |
| Central African Republic | |
| Chad | |
| Congo | |
| Cote D'Ivoire | |
| Djibouti | |
| Equatorial Guinea | |
| Eritrea | |
| Ethiopia | EMA (Ethiopian Mapping Agency) |
| Egypt | ESA (Egyptian Survey Authority) |
| Gabon | |
| The Gambia | |
| Ghana | |
| Guinea | |
| Kenya | lands |
| Lesotho | |
| Liberia | |
| Madagascar | FTM (Foiben-Taosarintanin'i Madagasikara) |
| Malawi | |
| Mali | |
| Mauritania | |
| Mauritius | |
| Morocco | |
| Mozambique | CENACARTA (Centro Nacional de Cartografia e Teledetecção) |
| Namibia | |
| Niger | |
| Nigeria | OSGOF |
| Rwanda | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | |
| Senegal | DTGC (Direction des Travaux géographiques et cartographiques) |
| Seychelles | |
| Sierra Leone | |
| Somalia | |
| South Africa | NGI (National Geo-spatial Information) |
| Sudan | |
| Tanzania | |
| Uganda | |
| Zambia | |
| Zimbabwe | |
The Ordnance Survey, as part of its OpenData™ program has created an OS Open Space area which allows for the incorporation of OS maps on web pages. Please try out our open space area.
Numerous other WMS servers are available on the internet, we'll try and include links to these as we find them, but here's a short list:
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by Phone: by Mail: info@kassoftware.com KAS Software Ltd |
Established 1997
Registered in Scotland