Here are selected Geography and Map resources available from government and municipal agencies. For additional links to other map resources see the Geography & Maps Guide.

Note: Government websites change their URLs often. If you find a "dead" link, contact us and we will correct the link. Sometimes searching for the "main" URL will allow you to find links to the changed page.

In addition to the selection of sites below that have map-specific resources, see: Maps & Atlases guide. Other agencies may be located on a listing of US Government Documents & Information.

Quick Links to: Census maps | USGS | EPA | NOAA | NWS (climate/weather data)

• Gazetteers: Board of Geographic Names and other government sites for locating names in the U.S. and World, along with references to finding them on maps.
• Bureau of the Census. Provides access to census data and related materials. Also provides glossaries, descriptions of type of data, and other information. The following selection have map/GIS materials.
  • Census Bureau Map Products A variety of topics and coverage. Includes:
    • Reference Maps (Congressional District maps, Census Block and Tract maps, etc.)
    • Thematic Maps (Population Profiles, Centers of Population, 1790 to 2000, Population Distribution)
    • Map Gallery of older Census maps
  • Subjects Index. Everything on the Census Bureau's site is indexed here. A good place to begin.
  • American FactFinder (On-line Mapping). Create maps for counties and metropolitan areas by providing requests for different characteristics (i.e., income, race, sex, etc.).
  • State and County Demographic and Economic Profiles. Click on state, then county to obtain census data. Map may be drawn of the area selected.
  • GIS Gateway (U.S. Bureau of the Census). Offers connections to many Geographic Information Systems (GIS) resources available on the Internet.
  • TIGER Map Service (Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing system). A project sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of the Census. The goal of this service is to provide a public resource for generating high-quality, detailed maps of anywhere in the United States, using public geographic data. Users can prepare custom data maps online or may purchase CD-ROM products to generate maps at their own computer. Examples of the tools available include: The Census Tract Street Locator (provides data by street name and zip); Census Tracts/Block Numbering Area (BNA) locator; Map Gallery (outline maps and other); School District Names.
    • Also, view a Buffalo, New York GIS map using TIGER/Line® data and 1990 Decennial Census data. Interactive map (zoom in/out, enter custom features such as streets, parks, etc.).
  • Geography Products. Links to TIGER service and also other Bureau geographic materials.
  • U.S. Gazetteer. Lookup names and locations for: cities and towns, rivers and streams, cemeteries, parks, and all other geographic features in the United States. Also links to TIGER system so a map may be generated for the selected location.
  • 1990 Census Lookup. Enter a state, county, town, or zip code and create a custom report on a large number of parameters (i.e., age, sex, household, national origin, language, etc.)
  • DataFerrett: For TheDataWeb (formerly: Data Extraction System (DES)). Ultimate in census data analysis. A tool for extracting records (rows) and fields (columns) from very large, public-information, data files (for example: survey and census records.) The system produces custom extracts in selectable data file formats (not meant for humans to read) which, when processed, can then be picked up at the Census Bureau's FTP site.
  • Additional Census resources available through the UB Libraries guide.
• Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. Country descriptions, geographical, and vital statistics data. Also has reference maps and other materials. Appendixes include:
  • Abbreviations of countries, organizations, agencies, and other groups.
  • International Organizations and Groups annotated listing of all sorts of organizations.
  • Selected International Environmental Agreements listings and cross-references for a variety of agreements.
  • Cross-Reference List of Country Data Codes ISO, FIPS, and Internet domain .codes.
  • Cross-Reference List of Hydrographic Data Codes regarding oceans and seas.
  • Cross-Reference List of Geographic Names Capitals, islands, etc. with CIA country name and cross-references. Also has latitude/longitude for entries.
  • Weights and Measures. Comprehensive list for use with the Country Profiles.
• Country Studies/Area Handbooks (Library of Congress). Also has maps and geographical information.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • Buffalo Brownfields Pilot Sites and data.
• Enviromapper for Watershed. GIS. Generate maps showing watersheds, toxic waste sites, air and water waste emissions, and a variety of other environment activities.
• Watershed Information Network (WIN) Atlas. Variety of information and data on watersheds. Includes: Surf Your Watershed.
• Window to My Environment. GIS for locating sites of toxic & hazardous waste, air emissions, water dischargers, and other environmental topics. Search using zip code. The map displays sites, gives administrative details, and can display on a several backgrounds (topo map, street map, or satellite image).
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
  • FEMA Map Assistance Center. Online Access to National Flood Insurance Program Products.
• FEMA Hazard Map Resources
• National Flood Insurance Program. Maps. Shortcut to Find a Map. If you want to find a city or town and do not have a specific street address or Map no., and need to search by state/county/city, click here.
• Guide To Flood Maps. How to read a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate (FIRM) Map.
• FEMA Map Store.
• GeoCommunicator A community-based portal for land management and land records of the Geography Network focused on communication, data, and activities of interest to anyone involved in or interested in the management of lands within the United States. (BLM--National Integrated Land System (NILS))
• GeoData.gov. GIS portal, also known as the Geospatial One-Stop, that serves as a public gateway for improving access to geospatial information and data under the Geospatial One-Stop e-government initiative. Geospatial One-Stop is one of 24 e-government initiatives sponsored by the Federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to enhance government efficiency and to improve citizen services. Geospatial One-Stop makes it easier, faster, and less expensive for all levels of government and the public to access geospatial information.
• Geography and Map Division, Library of Congress. Over 4.5 million maps, with 60,000 atlases and thousands of other items including journals, books and reference materials. Not much online material.
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Geo-spatial and cartographic data of all sorts. NASA has many sub-agencies that produce maps, data, and remote-sensing imagery for a variety of topics, including Lunar and planetary missions.
• National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Maps and Geographic Materials page.
• National Library of Medicine TOXMAP. Geographic Information System (GIS) from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) that uses maps of the United States to help users visually explore data from the EPA's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI).
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
  • Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
  • National Geodetic Survey
  • National Oceanographic Data Center
  • National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)
  • National Coastal Assessment and Data Synthesis (CA&DS). Coastal geospatial data and maps, covering all US coasts (ocean and lake) and related land/shoreline.
  • National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC).
    • Bathymetry, Topography, and Relief Data. A variety of data sets and maps. (Note: Bathymetry is depth below sea level; Topography is elevation above sea level; Relief is both.)
    • Great Lakes Bathymetry (US-Canadian consortia project). Data sets for each lake, plus other data, including ArcIMS Map Interface to Bathymetric Contours.
    • National Ocean Service Bathymetric & Fishing Maps. Scanned images in pdf. Also has ArcInfo interface.
    • Office of Coast Survey
      • Historical Map and Chart Collection
  • NOAA Fisheries GIS.
  • National Weather Service (NWS). Current and historical weather and climate maps, GIS and other data. Also see additional government climate/weather sites for more detailed themes.
  • Tsunami Research Center. All aspects; includes Data page.
• National Estuaries Program (EPA)
• National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Formerly NIMA: National Imagery and Mapping Agency
• National Park Service
• United States Army Corps of Engineers
  • Buffalo District
• United States Fish & Wildlife Service. Maps and GIS data.
  • National Wetlands Inventory
• United States Geological Survey
  • GISDATA Map Studio (formerly Mapping).
  • Maps, Products, and Publications. Starting point for all USGS maps and geo-spatial data.
  • National Map of the United States. Maps, GIS, and GIS data.
  • Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data Center. Includes: Land Cover Characterization program, National Elevation Dataset, to provide elevation data for the United States, and the Seamless Data Distribution System for domestic and international datasets. GIS with magnification to .3 meter resolution (in some cases).
  • Topographic Maps
    • Finding and Ordering Topographic Maps
    • Topographic Mapping. Booklet on using topographic maps.
    • Topographic Map Symbols
  • USGS Publications Warehouse. Search for USGS maps, many of which are fully reproduced online. Includes Maps, Aerial and Satellite Imagery, Real-Time Data and more. Examples include:
    • Hydrostructural Maps of the Death Valley Regional Flow System, Nevada and California. U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Field Studies Map MF-2372.
    • Where’s the San Andreas Fault? Government publications provide access to maps.
  • Mid-Continent Mapping Center
  • National Mapping Program Standards (USGS).
  • Pacific Seafloor Mapping Project. High resolution bathymetry and mapping.
  • Seafloor Mapping Server. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico bathymetric mapping projects.
  • Water Resources of the United States.
    • Water Resources Data for New York State . Databases and data sets, plus news and current data on water (stream flow, precipitation, etc.) for each state. New York data.
  • To order USGS maps, visit the USGS Store with order information, or visit commercial map dealers. Some products (e.g., Aerial Photography) are listed under specific type of material. Additional product information.
    • Photo Finder. Select and order (or download) aerial photographic imagery. Easy searches.
    • Digital Orthophoto Quadrangles (DOQs).

New York State

• New York State GIS Clearinghouse. Direct access to data, maps, and GIS materials. Includes: 1:24,000 Digital Raster Quadrangles download site, allowing downloads of image files, metadata, and DRQs. Pick from map of the state or from quad index. Has links to 1:250,000 and 1:100,000 scale maps. Also includes:
  • Who's Who for GIS in Erie County
  • Who's Who for GIS in Niagara County
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • DEC's Environmental Navigator. A variety of maps and GIS showing different topics, such as: NYSDEC Recreational Maps, minerals and forests, and others.
• New York State Statewide Digital Orthoimagery Program. Aerial/satellite images of the state.
• New York State GIS Cooperative Project, NYS Spatial Data
• New York State Department of Transportation--Mapping & GIS (MAGIS). The Mapping & GIS Section New York State's Base Mapping Agency (Note: changes in agency).
• New York State Airports Map (DOT). Shows all public airports/airfields.
• New York State Interactive Mapping Gateway. Digital orthophotomaps of New York State.
• New York State and Local Government Websites. Includes State level, as well as, Cities, Towns, and Villages, and other government agencies.
• County GIS Sites
  • Allegany
  • Cattaraugus
  • Chatauqua
  • Erie County
  • Monroe
  • Niagara
  • Suffolk County Cartography & GIS

  New York State: Western New York Region

• Western New York Regional Knowledge Network (RKN). Links to local county, municipal, and other government sites, schools, hospitals, and many other sources. Maps are located throughout the network by topic. Maps are used throughout this system, along with data sets. Select a topic to begin.
• Western New York Travel Guide. A tourist and travel site of the 17 counties of western New York. Has maps and other geographic data.
• Erie County Official Sources.
• Erie County Soil and Water Conservation District. The county office of the New York State Soil and Water Conservation Committee. Source of reports, USGS topographic maps, and links to related data.
• Soil Survey of Erie County, New York / United States Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service ; in cooperation with the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station. [Washington, D.C.?] : The Service, 1986. These soil surveys are available in print in the following UB locations:
  • SCI/ENGR Book Collection: S591 .A22 N.Y. Erie
  • CAPEN LIBRARIES / Reference: S591 .A22 N.Y. Erie
  • LOCKWOOD LIBRARY / Documents Collection: US A 57.38: Er 4/
  • ARCHITECTURE PLANNING LIBRARY / Book Collection: S599.N7 S55 1986
  • ARCHITECTURE PLANNING LIBRARY / Reserve: S599.N7 S55 1986.
• Great Lakes Region: Maps and GIS. Great Lakes Information Network

New York State: Western New York Region: Cities and Towns

• Amherst GIS (Town website) Uses the Map Machine. Includes maps for Williamsville, NY.
• Buffalo. City website and related links.
• Other towns and villages in WNY. Links to GIS and other maps/data.
• State & Local Governments. Links to additional government agencies, some with links to map products.

Other States

• GRASS - Geographic Resources Analysis Support System. (Army Corps of Engineers)
• Montana Natural Resource Information System

Canada

• Atlas of Canada. Maps, geographical features data, GIS data sets, outline maps, and more. Also has archive of the first five editions of the National Atlas of Canada.
• Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS/NRC). All forms of remote-sensing data (satellite and radar imaging). Use the CCRS Earth Observation Catalogue to search for data locations.
• Centre for Topographic Information (Natural Resources Canada). Canada's Topographic Map Service, similar to the USGS.
• Geological Survey of Canada
• Geomatics Canada
• Natural Resources Canada. Main site for cartographic and geo-spatial data (similar to the USGS). Natural Resources Canada features research and policy initiatives in forestry, Earth sciences, energy, and minerals and metals.
  • Subsites Directory. Various sub-agencies of NRC are listed here.
  • Toporama. Select topo sections and zoom in or download images. Main site is to sell maps but the free formats are good. New Toporama.
  • Kids Site. Offers NRC data in kid-friendly format.
• Parks Canada
  • National Historic Sites
  • National Marine Conservation Areas
  • National Parks and National Reserves

Toronto

• City of Toronto Maps. Official city website. Variety of maps, including aerial photos, wards, population, cadastral, and Toronto Neighbourhoods Map.
• Toronto Digital Property Data Maps. GIS data for selected Toronto sites.

International

• Foreign Countries and Intergovernmental Organizations. Links to a variety of international government agencies.
• European Union. Maps used with various sections of the site. Search for specific maps using their search engine. Also try a general search for MAP or MAPS, or select the sitemap link to maps (brings up only a selection of all maps).
  • EU at a Glance. Begins with map of the EU. Click on a country and then on province, department, or state within country for maps.
• North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). Maps available in site, and also on Maps page.
• United Nations Cartographic Section. Includes maps for countries and regions in the World based on a selection of countries and regions, or from specific missions.
• United Nations Atlas of the Oceans. Maps, data, and resources relating to all oceans and related
topics.

Last Update: 15 September, 2008