ArcGIS Living Atlas
Verified working Aug 3, 2026
A curated ArcGIS catalog of maps, layers, and global geospatial data.
ArcGIS Living Atlas is Esri’s catalog of ready-to-use geographic content, including basemaps, imagery, demographic layers, environmental data, and map-based apps. It is designed for people building maps or spatial analysis workflows in the ArcGIS ecosystem, with many items maintained by Esri and authoritative data providers.
Why it stands out
- Strong integration with ArcGIS tools, so many layers can be opened or added to maps without conversion.
- Includes a mix of Esri-maintained content and datasets from recognized public-sector and scientific sources.
- Covers both visualization-ready map layers and analysis-oriented geospatial services.
- Item metadata often exposes update history, licensing notes, scale, and service details needed for GIS workflows.
Good to know
- Most useful for people already working in ArcGIS; using content outside that ecosystem may require extra handling.
- Access, licensing, and usage limits vary by item, and some content may require an ArcGIS account, subscription, or credits.
- Coverage and update frequency are uneven across geographies and themes, depending on the underlying provider.
Under the radar: Before relying on a layer, open its item details and check the REST service URL, terms of use, and last-updated date; Living Atlas search results can look similar while coming from very different providers and maintenance schedules.
Photos
GIS analysts and mapmakers who need trustworthy layers they can add directly to ArcGIS projects. Find basemaps, imagery, boundaries, demographics, or hazard data for a new map. Compare available datasets before choosing inputs for spatial analysis. Embed maintained web layers into dashboards, story maps, or public-facing GIS apps.
Searchable catalog of maps, feature layers, imagery layers, scenes, apps, and dashboards; thematic browsing across topics such as environment, population, infrastructure, and imagery; item pages with metadata, ownership, sharing status, and usage options; integration with ArcGIS Online, ArcGIS Pro, dashboards, and web maps.
Technical Notes
- Many Living Atlas items are backed by ArcGIS REST services, with item pages linking to service endpoints where supported.
- Feature services commonly support structured queries through the ArcGIS REST API; availability depends on the individual layer and its sharing settings.
- Some services may require ArcGIS authentication or have usage restrictions set by the data owner.
Alternative listings
Harmonized U.S. census microdata for research across centuries.
Open Data & Research PortalsIPUMS USA provides cleaned and consistently documented U.S. census and American Community Survey microdata for researchers. It covers decennial census data from 1790–2010 and ACS/PRCS data from 2000 onward, with tools for selecting variables, building extracts, downloading data, and analyzing data online.
0 votesVisit siteA UK government gateway for public datasets and data guidance.
Open Data & Research Portalsdata.gov.uk is the UK government’s public data portal, now framed around the National Data Library. It brings together curated dataset collections across areas such as business, environment, government, property, people, transport, and early years, while still linking to the original open data directory search. The site also includes a data manual for public-sector data management, sharing, standards, privacy, and technical guidance.
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Similar sites elsewhere
- Google Earth Engine Data Catalog — developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets
- NASA Earthdata — earthdata.nasa.gov
- Natural Earth — naturalearthdata.com
- OpenStreetMap — openstreetmap.org
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