You can download GIS data from a variety of online sources, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and platforms that provide open-access geospatial data. Here are some popular sources where you can download GIS data:
1. US Government (for U.S.-based data)
- USGS Earth Explorer: https://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/
- Provides satellite imagery, aerial photography, and other remote sensing data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
- Data.gov: https://www.data.gov/
- A portal to over 250,000 datasets across various U.S. government agencies, including spatial data on transportation, land use, and environmental data.
- US Census Bureau (TIGER Data): https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-line-file.html
- Provides boundary and demographic data in the TIGER/Line format.
2. OpenStreetMap (OSM)
- Geofabrik: https://download.geofabrik.de/
- Offers free downloads of OpenStreetMap data for countries, regions, and continents.
- Mapzen (for historical OSM data): https://mapzen.com/ (Note: Mapzen has been archived, but some services are still available through the community)
3. Natural Earth
- Natural Earth: https://www.naturalearthdata.com/
- A public domain map dataset that provides vector and raster data at various scales (1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110m) for worldwide geographic boundaries, physical features, cultural data, etc.
4. NASA Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS)
- NASA Worldview: https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/
- Provides access to satellite imagery and real-time data on various environmental parameters (cloud cover, temperature, vegetation, etc.).
- Earthdata Search: https://search.earthdata.nasa.gov/
- A data search and discovery tool from NASA EOSDIS, where you can find satellite and remote sensing data.
5. European Union and Global Data
- Copernicus Open Access Hub: https://scihub.copernicus.eu/
- Offers free access to satellite data from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel missions.
- European Environment Agency (EEA): https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps
- Provides environmental data for Europe, including air quality, climate change, and biodiversity data.
6. Global Datasets and Databases
- World Bank Open Data: https://data.worldbank.org/
- Provides global development data, including geospatial data on land use, infrastructure, and environmental factors.
- Global Land Cover Facility: http://glcf.umd.edu/
- Provides remote sensing data, particularly satellite imagery and land cover datasets.
- UN Environment Programme: https://www.unenvironment.org/resources
- Offers geospatial data related to environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity, and pollution.
7. Open Data Platforms
- Open Data Portal (UK): https://data.gov.uk/
- Offers a range of geographic datasets for the United Kingdom, including transportation, health, and environment data.
- Australian Government Data Portal: https://data.gov.au/
- Provides access to geospatial data from Australian government sources, including census data and environmental monitoring.
8. Specialized GIS Data Repositories
- ArcGIS Online (Esri): https://www.arcgis.com/home/
- Esri offers many public datasets in various formats (including shapefiles) on their ArcGIS Online platform.
- OpenTopography: https://opentopography.org/
- Offers access to high-resolution topographic data, including LiDAR data and digital elevation models (DEMs).
- USDA NRCS Geospatial Data Gateway: https://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/
- Provides geospatial datasets related to agriculture, soil, and land use in the U.S.
9. Academic and Research Sources
- Harvard Geospatial Library: https://hcl.harvard.edu/libraries/maps/
- A digital library that provides GIS data related to historical and current research.
- Stanford Libraries GIS Data: https://library.stanford.edu/gis
- Provides access to GIS data for academic purposes, focusing on historical, environmental, and geographical data.
10. Other Resources
- EarthScope: http://www.earthscope.org/
- Provides data on geophysical processes, including earthquakes, tectonics, and volcanic activity in North America.
- Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL): https://gdal.org/
- GDAL is a translator library for raster and vector geospatial data formats, and it provides tools to download and convert GIS data.
These sources provide access to a wide range of geospatial data that can be used for mapping, analysis, and other GIS applications. Many of these platforms offer data for free or for open access, while others may require registration or specific permissions for access.