Commons:Map resources

All categories and pages that start with "Commons" in the name are for internal Commons work. They contain resources, help, tools, instructions, links, FAQs, examples, labs, software, etc.. They are not for categorization of images and media files used outside of internal Commons work. Please do not categorize regular image or media files here. Instead, see the main categories and subcategories at the Main Page and here. See also: Category help and category search. Search the Commons namespace at Special:Search.

To find categorized maps, atlases, and satellite pictures please see:

Category:Maps – maps for Wikipedia sites in many languages.
Category:WikiAtlas – current and historical atlases for many nations and regions.
Category:Satellite pictures – categorized satellite photos.

Many maps are ineligible for copyright, and are in the public domain[edit]

See Commons:Threshold of originality#Maps. Use {{PD-map}} on maps which are ineligible for copyright.

Create maps online for free[edit]

Note: Please add more free sites.

Anybody can create maps for free at the sites below and upload them to the Commons.

Datawrapper.de – Create charts and maps with Datawrapper for free. Add an image license, and this template:
- {{Datawrapper.de}}
MapChart.net – Create custom maps for free. Use this image license template:
- {{Mapchart.net}}
everviz.com – Create custom maps for free. Choropleth, categories, bubble, honeycomb, pattern fill, point map and more.

Map resource subpages[edit]

Look up Image source files and WikiProject Maps in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The subpages are a repository of various files useful to the en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps community in creating new maps for various wiki projects. The files in the subpages are not necessarily opened through web browsers since many of them are in graphic applications generic formats, like GIMP.

Blank location maps (incomplete)
.xcf (GIMP) multi-layer files
Utilities
Aide-memoire to illustrate status of treaties

Where to request new or improved maps[edit]

Commons:Graphic Lab/Map workshop – for help creating or improving maps.
en:Wikipedia:Graphics Lab/Map workshop – edits and creates maps on request.
en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps#Participants – ask the participants for help.
en:Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Maps – ask at this talk page.
en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Illustration – ask project members for help.
en:Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Illustration – ask at this talk page.
es:Wikiproyecto:Ilustración/Taller gráfico/Peticiones – página de peticiones del taller gráfico de Wikipedia en español.
fr:Wikipédia:Atelier graphique/Cartes – specific page of the French Graphic Lab for map creation or modification.
it:Progetto:Laboratorio_grafico/Immagini_da_migliorare – Italian Graphic Lab.

Wikimedia Commons map resources[edit]

On commons.wikimedia.org.

Category:Commons maps – a map work category with many resources.
Commons:WikiProject Atlas – for working on atlases.
Category:WikiAtlas Assistance – altas help, templates, progress.
Commons:Free media resources/Map.
Commons:Wikimaps.
Commons:Wikimaps/Resources.

Wikimedia Meta map resources[edit]

On meta.wikimedia.org.

Meta:Category:Wikimaps – Meta-Wiki category for many map resources.
meta:WikiMiniAtlas – draggable, zoomable, and clickable geocoded maps.

MediaWiki map resources[edit]

On mediawiki.org – MediaWiki.

mw:Maps – catalogs tools, extensions, projects, help, and more.
mw:Category:Map extensions

Wikipedia map resources[edit]

en:Category:Maps
en:Wikipedia:Graphic Lab/Resources/Maps
en:Category:Wikipedia geography work groups
en:Category:Wikipedia maps – the map work category at English Wikipedia.
en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps – a project for working on maps.
en:Category:Cartography – categorized Wikipedia articles on cartography.
en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Maps/Source materials – many source materials.
Wikipedia:Creating route maps from OpenStreetMap data – a tutorial for making line maps.
Wikipedia:Creating shape maps from OpenStreetMap data – a tutorial for making shape maps.

Templates[edit]

en:Category:Mapping templates
en:Category:Graphic templates – some map templates, too.
en:Category:Wikipedia template categories – Some map-related templates, too.

Tutorials[edit]

Image:Tutorial-cartography (basic).svg – learn quickly how to draw SVG maps.
Commons:PDF to image files – many free maps from the UN and elsewhere are in the PDF format.

Geographic coordinates, geotagging, and geocoding[edit]

Category:Commons geocoding
meta:WikiMiniAtlas – draggable, zoomable, and clickable geocoded maps.
Geographic coordinates, geotagging and geocoding.
de:Wikipedia:WikiProjekt Georeferenzierung/Wikipedia-World/en. International cooperation for coordinate mapping. See also:
en:Wikipedia:WikiProject Geographical coordinates
en:Category:WikiProject Geographical coordinates
en:Category:Coordinates templates

Other free or public-domain map resources online[edit]

Please upload – more free maps to Commons!

Resources with image license templates[edit]

Wikitravel: Category:Maps – {{CC-by-sa-3.0}}.
Map Library (MapLibrary.org) [1]. Africa and Central America. "The Map Library is a source of public domain basic map data concerning administrative boundaries in developing countries." {{PD-MapLibrary}}.
CIA reference maps: [2]. Public domain info: {{PD-USGov-CIA}} and {{PD-USGov-CIA-WF}}.
United Nations Cartographic Section Web Site: [3]. Public domain info: Commons:Copyright tags#United Nations and {{UN map}}
Maps and Graphics library [4] of the United Nations Environment Programme.
Government Maps [5]. Paul V. Galvin Library at Illinois Institute of Technology. {{PD-USGov}}.
U.S. Library of Congress maps: [6]. Public domain info: [7]: "The maps in the Map Collections materials were either published prior to 1922, produced by the United States government, or both (see catalogue records that accompany each map for information regarding date of publication and source)." Publications of the U.S. federal government are in the public domain. {{PD-USGov}}.
planiglobe online map creation Generates maps from public domain data. Postscript and Adobe Illustrator versions can be downloaded. {{Planiglobe}}.
For a variety of U.S. federal government image license templates see: Commons:Copyright tags#United States.

Resources with public-domain statements[edit]

See Public Domain.

Create Custom Map - MapChart at mapchart.net – see Terms of service. Use {{Mapchart.net}}.
Perry-Castañeda Library – the Map Collection [8] is in the public domain (see FAQ: [9]): "Most of the maps scanned by the University of Texas Libraries and served from this web site are in the public domain. No permissions are needed to copy them. You may download them and use them as you wish. We appreciate credit to "University of Texas Libraries" as the source of the scanned images. A few maps are copyrighted, and are clearly marked as such."
Map Maker Trust [10] – "The Map Maker Trust is a source of free map data and mapping software for developing countries. The idea behind the Map Maker Trust is that the lack of good, simple maps is a serious obstacle to development in all kinds of fields, from health care to urban management, from de-mining to environmental protection. The Trust's purpose is two fold: to make public domain mapping data more readily available for developing countries, and to provide free, easy to use software to facilitate map making by non-experts."

Resources with unclear free-image statements[edit]

These resources may need further clarification. If you upload images from these resources to the commons, then there is a possibility that they may be put up for deletion. Consider this an opportunity to show that they are truly free images, and that they can be used both non-commercially and commercially. The Wikimedia Commons also requires that the images can be modified without asking permission (derivative use). To prove all this you may have to contact the resource and send their reply to the VRT.

UC Atlas of Global Inequality – home page [11]: "The Atlas of Global Inequality explores some aspects of inequality using online, downloadable maps and graphics. All these materials can be used freely providing they are attributed to the UC Atlas of Global Inequality." University of California, Santa Cruz.
Free blank maps of countries and continents at geography.about.com: [12]. Overall map portal at geography.about.com:
- [13]. It is not at all clear which maps are completely free, and which are not.
- Someone might ask at the Geography forums at About.com: [14].
- Guest entry to view forums: [15]
Maps of Canada and Atlas of the World maps. Online Historical Map Digitization Project Publisher queries and map re-use information

Lists of public domain and other free maps[edit]

Sources of public domain maps. Public Domain Sherpa.
Public Domain – Copyright Guide – Research Guides at Library of the Marine Corps. See the map links and sections.

Resources for clickable image maps[edit]

See:

Commons:Image map resources

Adding map legends to map captions[edit]

6.9–11

11.1–13.5

13.6–16.0

16.1–18.5

18.6–21.0

21.1–52.0

Drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people by state in the United States in 2016.

See on the right several examples of map legends for this map page:

File:2016 US map of drug overdose deaths per 100,000 population by state.gif