ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES WORKING PAPER 19 An inventory and comparison of globally consistent geospatial databases and libraries Joseph F. Dooley Jr. Spatial Data Services & Mapping
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2005
	Table of Contents

The conclusions given in this report are considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project.

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ABSTRACT

This report presents an inventory of global data sources which can be used to provide consistent geospatial baselines for core framework data layers in the support of generalized base mapping, emergency preparedness and response, food security and poverty mapping. In the report, only globally consistent data sources at the scales of 1:5 million or larger for vector data and a nominal pixel size of 5 arc minutes or higher resolution for raster data, were considered.

The sources of data presented in the inventory were identified based on a review of on-line Internet resources conducted in the first quarter of 2004 and updated in January 2005.

The inventory is divided into two parts: with Part One of the inventory presenting overview, terminology and summary sections of globally consistent data libraries; while Part Two contains a categorization of the data sources identified broken into topical subsections based on the individual core data layers specified by UNGIWG and FAO. The report also includes a matrix rating the suitability of the various data sources identified to each of the core data layers specified by UGIWIG and FAO, and introduces Virtual Base Maps as a potential cost-effective means for: providing spatial referencing to remote field offices, enhancing Internet map serving capabilities, and facilitating mapping via GPS handheld devices.

© FAO 2005

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACRONYMS

PART ONE. OVERVIEW, TERMINOLOGY, AND REVIEW OF COMMON DATA SOURCES

CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW, SCOPE, AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTORY

1.1 BACKGROUND AND RATIONAL FOR THE INVENTORY
1.2 OVERVIEW OF INVENTORY PROCESS
1.3 SCOPE OF THE INVENTORY
1.4 SUMMARY INVENTORY OF CGDB CORE DATA LAYERS

CHAPTER 2. TERMINOLOGY USED WITHIN THE REPORT

2.1 DATA SCALE AND RESOLUTION
2.2 DATASETS, LAYERS, LIBRARIES, AND DATABASES
2.3 DATA TILING
2.4 DATA HARMONIZATION
2.5 ATTRIBUTE CONSOLIDATION AND DATA LEGENDS
2.6 SOURCE DATA AVAILABLE FROM THE U.S. NATIONAL GEOSPATIAL-INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
2.7 PUBLIC DOMAIN
2.8 COPYRIGHT AND END USER LICENSING AGREEMENTS
2.9 GENERAL PUBLIC LICENCE
2.10 FAIR QUOTATION
2.11 RESTRICTED DISTRIBUTION
2.12 RESTRICTED ACCESS
2.13 NON-COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION

CHAPTER 3. GENERAL DISCUSSION OF AVAILABLE AND GLOBALLY CONSISTENT DATABASES

3.1 COMPARATIVE DATABASE ANALYSIS USING AN AREA OF INTEREST OVER NORTH-WESTERN NAMIBIA
3.2 ESTIMATED LEVELS OF EFFORT FOR CREATING SEAMLESS COMPILATIONS OF SOURCE DATABASES
3.3 NGA GAZETTEER - GEONET NAMES SERVER (GNS) DATABASE
3.4 THE VECTOR SMART MAP LEVEL 1 1:250 000 DATA LIBRARY

3.4.1 Overview of the VMap1 topical data index and individual data layers
3.4.2 Commercial availability of the VMap1 database
3.4.3 Direct availability of the VMap1 to the UN for emergency preparedness
3.4.4 Graphical overview and LOE associated with processing the VMap1 data library
3.4.5 Source and derivative VMap1 data accuracy considerations

3.5 WORLD VECTOR SHORELINE PLUS - 1:250 000 COASTLINE DATA
3.6 DIGITAL CHART OF THE WORLD AND VECTOR SMART MAP LEVEL 0 - 1:1 M SCALE DATA LIBRARIES

3.6.1 Currency of the VMap0 library
3.6.2 Limitations of NGA-VPF format and connectivity of VMap0 data layers
3.6.3 Public domain VMap0 derivative data libraries
3.6.4 Estimated LOE for seamless and value-added processing of the VMap0/DCW

3.7 THE 1:3 MILLION RELATIONAL WORLD DATA BANK II IN SHAPEFILE FORMAT V1.1 DATABASE
3.8 UNCS QUICK IMPACT 1:5 AND 1:10 MILLION SCALE DATABASES
3.9 OVERVIEW OF COMMERCIAL DATA LIBRARIES AND GAZETTEERS

3.9.1 ALLM GeoData Global Gazetteer
3.9.2 American Digital Cartography's World Map version 4
3.9.3 Europa Technology's Global Discovery and Insight products

PART TWO. INVENTORY OF CGDB-TF CORE DATA LAYERS

CHAPTER 4. BOUNDARIES: COASTAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST

4.1 COASTLINE AND RELATED OCEANIC DATABASES OR LAYERS

4.1.1 Coastline polygonal data
4.1.2 Polygonal oceanic water bodies
4.1.3 Point data layer of oceanic islands
4.1.4 Linear oceanic features

4.2 POLITICAL COUNTRY, ADMINISTRATIVE, DISPUTED AREAS, AND PARK POLYGONAL BOUNDARIES

4.2.1 First Order/AD1 Level country and political boundary data layers
4.2.2 Combined international AD1 and subnational AD2 administrative boundary data layers

4.3 AREAS OF DISPUTE, CONFLICT, AND LANDMINE DISPERSAL
4.4 PARKS, CONSERVANCIES, AND PROTECTED AREAS

CHAPTER 5. HUMAN HEALTH: BOUNDARIES AND FACILITIES

5.1 HUMAN HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND STATISTICAL DATABASES
5.2 HEALTH FACILITIES
5.3 HEALTH STATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATABASES

CHAPTER 6. HUMAN POPULATION: POPULATION CENTRES AND DISTRIBUTION

6.1 POPULATION CENTRES AND DISTRIBUTION DATABASES

6.1.1 Public domain datasets of populated places containing name attributes
6.1.2 Commercial and other populated place databases providing population estimates

6.2 POPULATION CENSUS AND DISTRIBUTION DATABASES

6.2.1 CGEIC 1990 global population distribution database
6.2.2 CIESIN and colleagues Global Population of the World (GPW3)
6.2.3 Oak Ridge National Laboratory's LandScan (ORNL) population databases
6.2.4 Comparison of available population distribution databases

CHAPTER 7. TRANSPORTATION: ROADS, RAILWAYS, AIRPORTS, HARBOURS, AND NAVIGATION ROUTES

7.1 ROADS DATA LAYERS

7.1.1 Comparison of available roads and related transport structural features
7.1.2 Estimated LOE for seamless processing of VMap0 roads and transport structures

7.2 RAILWAY LINE, STATION, AND MARSHALLING YARD DATABASES
7.3 AIRPORT, AIRFIELD, AND HELIPORT DATABASES
7.4 HARBOUR DATABASES
7.5 NAVIGATION ROUTES

CHAPTER 8. BATHYMETRY AND ELEVATION DATABASES

8.1 VECTOR BATHYMETRIC CONTOUR, GAZETTEER, AND OCEAN-SEA DATABASES

8.1.1 NGA-WVS+ 1:3 million scale polygonal and linear bathymetric contour data layers
8.1.2 NGA-VMap0 1:1 million scale bathymetric contour data layer
8.1.3 NGA-GNS Gazetteer of named marine-underwater locations
8.1.4 NGA-VMap0 polygonal ocean-seas data layer
8.1.5 Other oceanic or undersea vector databases

8.2 GLOBAL RASTER COMBINED BATHYMETRIC AND TERRESTRIAL DEM DATABASES

8.2.1 IHO/UNESCO-GEBCO bathymetry and terrestrial DEM
8.2.2 NOAA-ETopo2 bathymetry and terrestrial DEM
8.2.3 USGS Global GIS Database, bathymetry/terrestrial DEM data layer
8.2.4 Estimated LOE for raster DEM processing and creation of image backgrounds

8.3 VECTOR TERRESTRIAL CONTOUR AND SPOT ELEVATION DATA LAYERS

8.3.1 NGA-DCW/VMap0 hypsographic-elevation data layers
8.3.2 Integration of the VMap0 airport elevation attribute with VMap0 spot elevations

8.4 TERRESTRIAL DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS (DEMS)

8.4.1 Terrestrial DEMs based primarily on NGA-DTED data
8.4.2 Hydrologically filled DEMs
8.4.3 Terrestrial DEMs based on the Space Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)
8.4.4 Terrestrial DEMs based on TERRA-ASTER satellite imagery
8.4.5 Processing of ancillary slope, aspect, greyscale, and hillshade data layers
8.4.6 Graphical overviews and comparisons

CHAPTER 9. GEOPHYSICAL: GEOLOGY, GEOMORPHOLOGY, SEISMIC, HYDROGEOLOGY, AND SOILS

9.1 GENERAL GEOLOGICAL, MINERAL, OIL, AND GAS RESOURCE DATABASES

9.1.1 The geologic age data layer
9.1.2 The geologic provinces data layer
9.1.3 The ore deposits data layer
9.1.4 The mines data layer
9.1.5 The oil and gas fields data layer

9.2 GEOMORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOGRAPHIC-SURFACE DATABASES
9.3 EARTHQUAKE, SEISMIC, AND VOLCANISM DATABASES

9.3.1 Earthquake and seismic databases
9.3.2 Volcanism databases

9.4 TSUNAMI DATABASES

9.4.1 The NOAA-NGDC Tsunami Database
9.4.2 Issues involved with the modelling of tsunamigenic events

9.5 HYDROGEOLOGICAL DATABASES
9.6 SOILS DATABASES

9.6.1 Soil profile, attribute, and related datasets
9.6.2 Polygonal soils datasets
9.6.3 WOCAT: World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies

CHAPTER 10. SURFACE HYDROLOGY: WATER BODIES, WATER POINTS, DRAINAGE AND WATERSHEDS

10.1 SURFACE WATER BODY DATABASES OR LIBRARIES

10.1.1 Cartographic surface water body and wetlands databases
10.1.2 Limnological databases of surface water bodies
10.1.3 Satellite image derivative databases

10.2 DRAINAGE AND FLOW ROUTING DATABASES OR LIBRARIES

10.2.1 Cartographic source databases of river drainage
10.2.2 DEM derivative flow routing databases
10.2.3 River gauge monitoring and runoff databases

10.3 DEM DERIVATIVE WATERSHED AND RIVER BASIN DATABASES

10.3.1 World Resources Institute (WRI) Watersheds of the World
10.3.2 GIWA Terrestrial and Large Marine Ecosystems
10.3.3 Hydro1k six-level watershed model
10.3.4 Creation of an intermediate resolution global WS-model consistent with the VMap0

10.4: CONNECTIVITY AND ENCODING ISSUES RELATED TO DRAINAGE NETWORKS AND WS-MODELS

10.4.1 Connectivity
10.4.2 Methods used to encode hydrological networks
10.4.3 Ranking or classification schemes
10.4.4 Topological encoding schemes

CHAPTER 11. SATELLITE IMAGERY, ORTHORECTIFIED MOSAICS, LAND COVER AND VEGETATION DATA

11.1 SATELLITE IMAGE MOSAICS AND ORTHORECTIFIED IMAGERY

11.1.1 Issues related to the use of NASA's Orthorectified Image Library for base mapping

11.2 SATELLITE DERIVATIVE LAND CLASSIFICATION AND VEGETATION DATABASES

CHAPTER 12. CLIMATIC DATA: TEMPERATURE, RAINFALL, AND ATMOSPHERIC-EMISSIONS

12.1 INTEGRATED CLIMATOLOGY DATABASE
12.2 THE LOCCLIM V2.0 METEOROLOGICAL STATION DATABASE AND TOOLSET

CHAPTER 13. AGRICULTURAL AND ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT

13.1 AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT AND POTENTIAL

13.1.1 Global Agro-Ecological Assessment in the 21st Century
13.1.2 Global and regional mapping of irrigated areas
13.1.3 Data limitations affecting the integration of human activities in AEZ planning

13.2 ACCESS TO SUBNATIONAL AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY DATA

13.2.1 Subnational livestock productivity data
13.2.2 Subnational crop productivity data

13.3 ETHNO-ENVIRONMENTAL SUITABILITY MODELLING

13.3.1 Agricultural assessment and poverty mapping
13.3.2 Data Synthesis System for World Water Resources

13.4 COMMONALITY OF UN SPONSORED AEZ, WATER RESOURCES AND POVERTY MAPPING EFFORTS

CHAPTER 14. CREATION OF VIRTUAL BASE MAPS

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A. LOE SUMMARY ESTIMATES FOR DCW/VMAP0 PROCESSING

APPENDIX B. FAO AGROCLIMATIC DATABASES AND MAPPING TOOLS

B.1 BACKGROUND
B.2 DATA AVAILABILITY
B.3 DATA VISUALIZATION AND MAPPING

B.3.1 FAOCLIM and LocClim
B.3.2 Web_LocClim and New_LocCLim

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