Top 16 FREE Sources of GIS Vector Data (Updated 2025)

In the world of GIS (Geographic Information Systems), data is everything. Whether you’re building maps, performing spatial analysis, or developing applications, having access to high-quality vector data is essential.

Fortunately, many organizations and platforms offer free GIS vector data to support researchers, analysts, and developers across the globe. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the Top 16 Free Sources of GIS Vector Data you can use for your next project.

Table of Contents

16 FREE Sources of GIS Vector Data

1. OpenStreetMap (OSM)

📦 Data Offered: Roads, buildings, land use, waterways, points of interest (POIs), and more
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, OSM XML, PBF (via third-party tools)

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is one of the most powerful and popular sources of free GIS vector data available today. It is a collaborative mapping platform maintained by a global community of mappers who contribute and update data regularly. Thanks to its open data model and active user base, OSM offers highly detailed and frequently updated geospatial data for nearly every corner of the world.

✅ Why Use OpenStreetMap?

Global Coverage: Whether you’re working on a local, regional, or global project, OSM data is available for virtually every location.
Highly Detailed: Includes layers such as roads, buildings, railways, parks, land use, rivers, and points of interest.
Community Driven: Data is constantly updated by thousands of contributors, ensuring current and accurate information.
Open License: Distributed under the Open Database License (ODbL), which allows free use, modification, and sharing, provided attribution is given.

2. Geofabrik

📦 Data Offered: Regional and country-level extracts of OpenStreetMap (OSM) data
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, PBF, OSM XML (via tools)

Geofabrik is a highly trusted and widely used platform that provides pre-extracted OpenStreetMap (OSM) data organized by continent, country, and region. It eliminates the need to download the massive global OSM dataset and helps users get exactly the data they need for specific geographic areas.

✅ Why Use Geofabrik?

Region-Specific Data: Easily download data by continent (e.g., Asia, Africa), by country (e.g., Nepal, India), or even smaller subdivisions (e.g., states, provinces).
Up-to-Date: Data is updated daily, ensuring accuracy and freshness for time-sensitive projects.
Multiple Formats: While primarily offered in PBF (Protocolbuffer Binary Format), Geofabrik also provides Shapefiles and GeoJSON for many regions, which are compatible with popular GIS tools.
No Need for Overpass or Custom Queries: Pre-packaged datasets save time and technical effort, especially useful for beginners and large-scale projects.

3. Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX)

📦 Data Offered: Population, health, education, infrastructure, conflict zones, refugee camps, natural disasters, and more
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV, XLSX, KML (depending on dataset)

The Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) is a free and open platform managed by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It serves as a central hub for humanitarian, development, and crisis-related data, enabling informed decision-making during emergencies and long-term recovery efforts.

✅ Why Use HDX?

Crisis-Focused Data: HDX specializes in data related to emergencies, displacement, epidemics, conflict, and natural disasters—ideal for humanitarian response and disaster risk reduction.
Global Coverage: Includes datasets from NGOs, governments, and international organizations covering countries all over the world, especially vulnerable and developing nations.
Easy Filtering: You can search by country, theme (like health, logistics, education), or organization, making it easier to find relevant data quickly.
Multi-Format Downloads: Many datasets are available in GIS-ready formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, along with tabular data in CSV or XLSX formats for statistical analysis.

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4. HYDROSHEDS

📦 Data Offered: River networks, lakes, drainage basins, sub-basins, elevation-based flow direction and accumulation
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile (vector), GeoTIFF (raster for DEM-based datasets)

HYDROSHEDS (Hydrological data and maps based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales) is a globally recognized source for high-quality hydrological and watershed data. Developed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), it leverages elevation data from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) to derive detailed water flow and drainage information.

✅ Why Use HYDROSHEDS?

Watershed Delineation: Provides globally consistent data layers for basins, sub-basins, and river catchments, ideal for hydrological modeling.
Hydrological Flow: Includes flow direction, flow accumulation, and stream networks to support water resource assessments.
Global Coverage: Available at multiple resolutions (up to 15 arc-seconds), enabling both regional and global-scale analysis.
High Accuracy: Derived from processed SRTM elevation data, ensuring terrain-aware mapping of river and basin systems.

5. FAO GeoNetwork

📦 Data Offered: Agriculture, fisheries, land use, forestry, soil, climate, water resources, and food security
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML, CSV (varies by dataset)

The FAO GeoNetwork, maintained by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is a centralized and open-access platform offering a rich collection of spatial datasets focused on agriculture, natural resources, and sustainable development. It supports decision-making for global food security, environmental protection, and resource management.

✅ Why Use FAO GeoNetwork?

Agricultural Intelligence: Includes critical data on crop distribution, irrigation zones, soil types, and agro-ecological zones, essential for sustainable farming and agricultural planning.
Global Food Security: Offers insights into fisheries, pasture areas, and land degradation, making it ideal for food and water resource policy development.
Environmental Monitoring: Contains datasets on forests, water bodies, biodiversity hotspots, and climate zones, which are vital for environmental modeling and conservation efforts.
Interoperability: Most data are provided in GIS-friendly formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, with metadata compliant with international standards.

6. USGS Earth Explorer

📦 Data Offered: Hydrography, transportation, land boundaries
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, KML

USGS Earth Explorer, operated by the United States Geological Survey, is a powerful tool for accessing a variety of geospatial datasets, including vector data for hydrography, transportation networks, and land boundaries. It is widely used by professionals for topographical analysis and infrastructure mapping, both in the U.S. and globally.

✅ Why Use USGS Earth Explorer?

Hydrographic Data: Access valuable datasets on rivers, lakes, and watersheds to support water resource management and flood risk analysis.

Infrastructure Mapping: Includes comprehensive data on transportation networks, roads, railways, and airports, useful for urban planning and transportation studies.

Land Boundaries: Offers detailed datasets related to land ownership, borders, and political divisions, supporting legal and policy development.

Interoperability: Data is provided in standard GIS formats like Shapefile and KML, making it easy to integrate into your existing GIS systems.

7. Natural Earth

📦 Data Offered: Cultural, physical, and political vector layers
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON

Natural Earth is a public domain resource that provides high-quality cartographic datasets suitable for creating maps at global, national, and regional levels. It offers a wide range of vector data, including cultural, physical, and political layers, making it ideal for mapmakers, researchers, and anyone in need of precise geographic information for visualizing various aspects of the world.

✅ Why Use Natural Earth?

Global Coverage: Includes datasets that cover the entire globe, making it an excellent choice for worldwide analysis and cartographic projects.

Comprehensive Layers: Provides diverse data layers, such as physical features (mountains, rivers), political boundaries (countries, states), and cultural elements (languages, population).

Easy to Use: Data is available in widely-used formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, ensuring smooth integration with popular GIS platforms.

Interoperability: Compatible with most GIS software and map-making tools, making it a go-to resource for professionals and hobbyists alike.

8. European Environment Agency (EEA)

📦 Data Offered: Land cover, air quality, and biodiversity
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON

The European Environment Agency (EEA) provides a wealth of environmental GIS datasets, specifically focused on Europe. These datasets cover critical areas such as land cover, air quality, and biodiversity, making them indispensable for environmental monitoring, pollution analysis, and ecosystem conservation efforts across the continent.

✅ Why Use EEA Data?

Environmental Monitoring: Includes detailed data on land cover changes, pollution levels, and biodiversity, helping researchers and policymakers track environmental health in Europe.

Air Quality Insights: Offers crucial data on air pollution levels across European cities, supporting studies on public health and environmental policies.

Biodiversity Conservation: Provides valuable datasets related to species distribution, ecosystems, and protected areas, aiding conservation and sustainable development efforts.

Interoperability: Data is available in GIS-friendly formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, ensuring compatibility with various GIS platforms for easy analysis and visualization.

9. GADM – Global Administrative Areas

📦 Data Offered: Administrative boundaries at country, region, and local levels
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML

GADM (Global Administrative Areas) provides highly detailed data on political boundaries across the globe, from country-level divisions down to local administrative regions. This makes it an invaluable resource for those engaged in geopolitical mapping, statistical analysis, and demographic studies.

✅ Why Use GADM?

Global Coverage: Offers comprehensive datasets of administrative boundaries for all countries, regions, and local areas worldwide.

Precise Political Boundaries: Provides highly accurate and detailed data on administrative divisions such as provinces, districts, and municipalities, which is crucial for mapping and analysis.

Statistical Analysis: Ideal for demographic research, election studies, and governance-related projects that require granular administrative boundary information.

Interoperability: Data is available in popular GIS formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, and KML, ensuring seamless integration with your GIS software for easy visualization and analysis.

10. DIVA-GIS

📦 Data Offered: Country-level data on climate, roads, population, and boundaries
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile

DIVA-GIS is an excellent platform for biodiversity research and environmental studies, providing country-level data on a variety of geographical and socio-economic factors, including climate, roads, population, and administrative boundaries. It offers user-friendly tools for extracting vector data, making it ideal for researchers and conservationists focused on ecological and biodiversity studies.

✅ Why Use DIVA-GIS?

Biodiversity Research: Offers data on climate, species distributions, and protected areas, supporting studies on biodiversity conservation and habitat modeling.

Comprehensive Country-level Data: Provides useful data on roads, population density, and administrative boundaries, essential for environmental and socio-economic research.

Easy Data Extraction: DIVA-GIS features intuitive tools for easy data extraction, allowing users to quickly access and download the datasets they need.

Interoperability: Data is available in Shapefile format, which is compatible with a wide range of GIS software for effective data visualization and analysis.

11. UNEP Environmental Data Explorer

📦 Data Offered: Global environmental indicators and spatial datasets
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON

The UNEP Environmental Data Explorer, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), offers a vast array of global environmental indicators and spatial datasets. This platform is designed to assist researchers, policymakers, and environmental organizations in tracking sustainability efforts and assessing environmental trends across the globe.

✅ Why Use UNEP Environmental Data Explorer?

Global Environmental Monitoring: Provides comprehensive datasets on climate, air quality, ecosystems, water resources, and more, ideal for tracking environmental health globally.

Sustainability Tracking: Helps monitor progress on key sustainability goals, such as climate action, biodiversity conservation, and pollution reduction.

Access to Key Indicators: Includes a wide range of environmental indicators essential for assessing the status and trends of global ecosystems and human impacts on the environment.

Interoperability: Data is available in GIS-friendly formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, ensuring compatibility with various GIS platforms for efficient data analysis and visualization.

12. NASA SEDAC (Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center)

📦 Data Offered: Population, infrastructure, and human-environment interactions
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML

NASA SEDAC (Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center) provides valuable datasets that bridge the gap between remote sensing data and socioeconomic factors. It focuses on human-environment interactions, including population data, infrastructure, and the impacts of climate change and urbanization, making it a crucial resource for researchers and policymakers.

✅ Why Use NASA SEDAC?

Population and Urbanization Studies: Provides detailed demographic data, including population density, urban growth, and migration patterns, which are essential for urban planning and policy development.

Human-Environment Interaction: Offers insights into how human activities are impacting the environment, including land use changes and infrastructure development.

Climate Change Analysis: Ideal for studying the impacts of climate change on communities, particularly in terms of population displacement, resource management, and vulnerability assessments.

Interoperability: Data is provided in widely used GIS formats such as Shapefile, GeoJSON, and KML, making it easy to integrate with GIS tools for spatial analysis and visualization.

13. World Resources Institute (WRI)

📦 Data Offered: Environmental and natural resource data
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, CSV

The World Resources Institute (WRI) provides a comprehensive open data portal that focuses on environmental and natural resource data, with a special emphasis on land use, emissions, and deforestation. These datasets are crucial for climate research, conservation efforts, and sustainable development initiatives globally.

✅ Why Use WRI Data?

Climate Research: Includes essential data on greenhouse gas emissions, land use changes, and deforestation, which are key for analyzing the impacts of climate change.

Conservation and Sustainability: Supports biodiversity conservation and sustainable development goals by providing data on natural resource management and land preservation efforts.

Global Environmental Monitoring: Offers datasets on environmental changes across regions, providing valuable insights for global sustainability efforts.

Interoperability: Data is available in popular formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, and CSV, ensuring compatibility with various GIS platforms and data analysis tools.

14. Global Forest Watch

📦 Data Offered: Forest change, deforestation, land use
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML

Global Forest Watch is a leading platform for near-real-time forest monitoring, offering comprehensive datasets on forest change, deforestation, and land use. It provides critical data to help researchers, NGOs, and policymakers in tracking and protecting forests worldwide.

✅ Why Use Global Forest Watch?

Forest Monitoring: Offers up-to-date information on forest cover, deforestation rates, and land use changes, which are essential for sustainable forest management and conservation efforts.

Real-Time Data: Provides near-real-time satellite data to track forest changes, allowing quick responses to illegal logging, deforestation, and forest degradation.

Support for NGOs and Researchers: Widely used by environmental organizations and researchers for forest protection, climate change studies, and biodiversity conservation.

Interoperability: Data is available in formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, and KML, making it compatible with various GIS tools for seamless integration and analysis.

15. Africa GeoPortal

📦 Data Offered: Administrative boundaries, infrastructure, land use across Africa
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON

Africa GeoPortal is a dedicated platform offering key datasets related to administrative boundaries, infrastructure, and land use across the African continent. It serves as a valuable resource for sustainable development initiatives, urban planning, and infrastructure projects throughout Africa.

✅ Why Use Africa GeoPortal?

Sustainable Development: Provides crucial data on land use, infrastructure, and administrative boundaries, which are essential for planning and implementing sustainable development projects in Africa.

Infrastructure Planning: Offers datasets that support infrastructure development, helping policymakers and planners make informed decisions about transportation, utilities, and urban growth.

Comprehensive Regional Coverage: Focused entirely on African countries, making it the go-to platform for anyone needing in-depth geographic data specific to the region.

Interoperability: Data is available in widely used GIS formats like Shapefile and GeoJSON, ensuring compatibility with various GIS tools for effective analysis and visualization.

16. Koordinates

📦 Data Offered: Land use, infrastructure, and social datasets
📁 Formats Available: Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML

Koordinates is a data platform that aggregates spatial datasets from a variety of government and private sources, particularly from New Zealand and Australia. It offers a wide range of data, including land use, infrastructure, and social datasets, making it a valuable resource for urban planning, infrastructure development, and social research.

✅ Why Use Koordinates?

Comprehensive Data Coverage: Aggregates data from multiple sources, providing a one-stop platform for diverse spatial datasets across land use, infrastructure, and social factors.

Regional Focus: Primarily focused on New Zealand and Australia, offering region-specific datasets for better insight into local geography and urban dynamics.

Support for Various Use Cases: Whether you’re working on land management, infrastructure planning, or social studies, Koordinates provides the data needed to make informed decisions.

Interoperability: Data is provided in commonly used GIS formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, and KML, ensuring seamless integration with GIS tools for analysis and visualization.

📌 Conclusion

GIS vector data plays a crucial role in modern spatial analysis, cartography, and decision-making. With these 16 free GIS vector data sources, you can get access to high-quality datasets for your projects without spending a penny.

Whether you need data for urban planning, disaster response, agriculture, hydrology, or environmental research, these platforms offer a solid starting point.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is vector data in GIS?

Vector data in GIS represents geographic features using points, lines, and polygons. For example, a road is represented as a line, a city as a point, and a country boundary as a polygon. Vector data is ideal for mapping boundaries, infrastructure, and other discrete features.

2. Where can I download free GIS vector data?

You can download free GIS vector data from trusted sources like OpenStreetMap, Natural Earth, Geofabrik, GADM, USGS Earth Explorer, and more. This blog post lists the top 16 websites that provide high-quality vector data in formats like Shapefile, GeoJSON, and KML.

3. Which format is best: Shapefile, GeoJSON, or KML?

Shapefile: Widely used in desktop GIS software like QGIS and ArcGIS.
GeoJSON: Ideal for web mapping applications.
KML: Best suited for visualization in Google Earth.

Choose the format based on your project and the tools you are using.

4. Can I use free GIS vector data for commercial projects?

It depends on the license of the dataset. Some sources like Natural Earth offer public domain data, while others like OpenStreetMap use licenses such as ODbL (Open Database License). Always review the terms of use before using the data commercially.

5. Are these data sources updated regularly?

Yes, most of the sources listed (e.g., OpenStreetMap, HDX, Koordinates) are updated frequently or in real-time. Others like Natural Earth or GADM may be updated quarterly or annually. Always check the “last updated” date before downloading.

6. Do I need special software to use these datasets?

Yes, to view and analyze vector data, you’ll need GIS software such as:

These tools allow you to import, visualize, and manipulate GIS data easily.