Research Guides: Geographical, Environmental, and GIS Data: Other websites, datasets, and databases

Geographic Resources

Geography is the study of the physical features of the earth, the atmosphere, and of human activity as it affects and is affected by these. This includes the population distribution, natural resources, land use, and industries. These resources include some aspect of the human activity.in our interactions with the earth.

Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
Search for research related to human interactions in the environment, integrating both natural and social science resources.. There is also access to interactive data access and mapping tools and applications.
Encyclopedia of Earth
An electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society.
Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment.
Data.Census.Gov
U.S. Census Bureau web site for population, housing, economic, and geographic data.
International Data Base of World Demographics (IDB)
"Find tabular data for countries and regions as well as demographic indicators, population pyramids and source information for countries."
International Institute for Sustainable Development
"...provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos."
Sustainability Program of EPA’s Office of Research and Development
Provides one-stop access to EPA and related programs and the latest research and activities related to Urban Sustainability and the Built Environment; Water and Ecosystem Services; Energy, Biofuels and Climate Change; and Materials Mgmt and Human Health.
United Nations Environment Programme
Serves as the "the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment."

Websites, datasets, and databases

Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
Search for research related to human interactions in the environment, integrating both natural and social science resources.. There is also access to interactive data access and mapping tools and applications.
Encyclopedia of Earth
An electronic reference about the Earth, its natural environments, and their interaction with society.
Energy Citations Database (DOE)
Provides free access to over 3 million science research citations from 1943 forward from the U.S. Dept. of Energy.
Environmental Protection Agency
The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment.
European Environment Agency (EEA)
"...is an agency of the EU. Our task is to provide sound, independent information on the environment."
Data.census.gov
U.S. Census Bureau web site for population, housing, economic, and geographic data.
FEMA Map Service
Including Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM), disaster maps, hurricane maps, and flood maps.
International Data Base of World Demographics (IDB)
"Find tabular data for countries and regions as well as demographic indicators, population pyramids and source information for countries."
International Energy Agency
is the energy forum for 28 industrialized countries.
International Institute for Sustainable Development
"...provides a variety of multimedia informational resources for environment and sustainable development policymakers, including daily coverage of international negotiations, analyses and photos."
NASA - Global Change Master Directory
More than 25,000 Earth science data set and service descriptions, which cover subject areas within the Earth and environmental sciences.
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The GCMD’s primary responsibility is to maintain a complete catalog of all NASA’s Earth science data sets and services. The project also serves as one of NASA’s contributions to the international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), through which it is known as the CEOS International Directory Network (IDN).
National Oceanographic Data Center
"...a national repository and dissemination facility for global oceanographic data which acquires and preserves a historical record of the Earth's changing environment to be used for operational applications and ocean climate research."
Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center
ORNL DAAC is operated by the ORNL Environmental Sciences Division and is responsible for data archival, product development and distribution, and user support for biogeochemical and ecological data and models.
Search your environment by zipcode
Four online databases (Envirofacts, EnviroMapper, Surf Your Watershed and UV Index) may be searched by zip code. Descriptions of and direct links to each database are included.
Sustainability Program of EPA’s Office of Research and Development
Provides one-stop access to EPA and related programs and the latest research and activities related to Urban Sustainability and the Built Environment; Water and Ecosystem Services; Energy, Biofuels and Climate Change; and Materials Mgmt and Human Health.
Toxicology Data from the NIH
Explore on-site toxic releases and hazardous waste sites.
United Nations Environment Programme
Serves as the "the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment."
World Bamk Environmental Data
Data provided cover forests, biodiversity, emissions, and pollution
World Data Center for Marine Environmental Sciences
Aimed at collecting, scrutinizing, and disseminating data related to Global Change and earth system research in the fields of environmental oceanography, marine geosciences, and marine biology.