Maps Online: Digitized and Electronic Map Resources

Starting Points

• Google Maps. One-Stop Shopping.
• USGS Publications Warehouse. Search for USGS maps from various series. Includes Maps, Aerial and Satellite Imagery, Real-Time Data and more. Also includes less common maps and surveys, such as:
  • 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.
• See also:
  • Country Maps (also includes U.S.)
  • United States Maps
  • GIS Resources
  • Government Map Resources
• Outline Maps
• Satellite & Remote-Sensing Images Online

Best Digital Collections

• Perry-Castañeda Library - A large collection of online maps and resources.
  • International Map Source
    An assortment of online maps from the University of Texas at Austin. An excellent source of electronic maps of other countries and historical maps.
• U.S. National Atlas of North America (USGS). Covering mainly the U.S., but also quite a bit on North America.
• National Geographic Maps. National Geographic map and atlas site. You can view or purchase maps of places worldwide. Includes: Country Profiles, Conservation Maps, Atlas updates, and more.
• World Factbook (Central Intelligence Agency). Annual World Fact Book. Information and maps for independent states, dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, uninhabitable regions, and oceans.

Digital Collections Buffalo and WNY

• Buffalo in Maps
• Western New York Maps
• WNY Aerial Photographs

Map Collections (Selection)

• William C. Wonders Map Collection (University of Alberta). Search database of digitized maps. Concentration of maps on North America, but has maps for all parts of the World. Also good collections for: Western Canada, Northern Canada, Poland, Germany, France, and archival collections for Ukraine, British Isles, and Eastern Europe.
• Gettysburg College Map Collection Search for maps then view/ zoom in on map images.
• U of Waterloo Electronic Maps Collection.
• Toronto Maps. A virtual collection of electronic maps covering Toronto and GTA.
• Maps: Alphabetical List. Typical of lists of maps online.
• See also: Map Collections. Many university and other collections.
• See also: Directories of Map Collections. Metasites for maps of all types.

Geography/Mapping Stuff You Can Use

• Gazetteers List of most of the official or useful gazetteers on the web.
• Columbia Gazetteer (UB Libraries subscription database)
  Comprehensive gazetteer, an encyclopedia of geographical places and features. Includes database of names, descriptions, and characteristics of over 165,000 places in the world. Search by type of place, place name or word search.
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (UB Libraries subscription to online database for NYS only)
  Sanborn maps were produced for use by insurance providers but their wealth of detail makes them an excellent source for historians, planners, genealogists, and others looking for historic data or for studying the growth and development towns and cities. Their scale is 1 inch = 50 feet. The Digital Sanborn collection cover, New York State from about 1895-1940s. Note: Not all cities and towns are covered. Check the index when you begin a session to see if a specific town is listed.
• Visited Countries Custom Map. Prepare a map of all the places you have visited.
• Surface Distance Between Two Points of Latitude and Longitude. Also has a calculator for Great Circle measurements.
• See also: Digital Data & Atlases for U.S. topos, street atlases, and other resources available at UB Libraries.

Thematic and Other Maps (Selection)

• See also: Thematic and Special Use Maps

Demographic Maps

• Aids in Africa.
• Aids in Africa
• HIV Infections map (HIV Vaccine Trials Unit. U of R). Worldwide.
• United States Census 2002 Geography
  Contains a wealth of information of the United States as it relates to the 2002 Census.
• Methamphetamine Addictions in the U.S.
• John Snow epidemiology maps (UCLA. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health). Site devoted to the life and times of Dr. John Snow (1813-1858), a legendary figure in the history of public health, epidemiology and anesthesiology. Maps of London before, during, and after Snow's work, especially on the 1854 Cholera epidemic. See the 1859 map.
• Malaria in Africa. From a Malaria Journal article.
• Mortality Maps for Texas (Texas Dept. of State Health Services). 1940 Standard Population 1970 Standard Population 2000 Standard Population.
• Demographic Maps, Thematic Maps, and Radius Maps (Maponics).
• Overpopulation.com. Search for maps by a variety of topics. Most maps have statistical references for data (and also the data).
• Poverty in the World.
• Mapping Religion in America. Member populations of various religions graphically shown on U.S. maps.
• Humane Borders Water Station Maps And Warning Posters
• U.S. Death Penalty. See: Interactive U.S. Maps.
• The Human Toll: Three years into the war in Iraq, the U.S. death toll has topped 2,500 and civilian casualties stand at more than 40,000 (Newsweek).
• Atlas of United States Mortality. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)). Other examples are:
• Heart Disease and Stroke Maps
• Heart Disease Atlases (for Men and Women). Offers pdf and html maps from the print versions.
• Terrorist Attacks. World map showing locations.

Historical Maps

• David Rumsey Collection. Large worldwide collection of mostly pre-20th century political maps.
• Broer Map Library. Over 600 (and growing) collection of historical maps (1875+). The collection is searchable and zoomable and offers high-res image files upon request.
• Mapping History Project (Univ. of Oreg.) Historical and cultural maps of North America, Europe, with images.
• Chinese View of the World. The Jingban tianwen quantu was produced in the 1780s or early 90s by a Chinese scholar named Ma Junliang, who received the prestigious jinshi civil service examination degree in 1761. He was well-known for his skill as a mapmaker.
• Historical Maps Online
  Electronically images of maps charting 400 years of historical development in Illinois and the Old Northwest Territory (Midwest). Provides a broad spectrum of content, from expert scholarship of mapmakers and mapmaking to general knowledge about cartography and history.
• Irish Historical Mapping Archive (Ordnance Survey. Ireland). Maps drawn between 1829-1913.
• Japanese Maps of the Tokugawa Era (University of British Columbia Library). UBC Library's Rare Books and Special Collections holds one of the world's largest collections of maps and guidebooks of the Japanese Edo period, also called the Tokugawa period, 1603-1867. The core of the collection was formed after World War II by George H. Beans. Over 300 maps from the collection have been digitized and are searchable and
  viewable online. The digitization process allows the user to see a whole map as well as offering detailed views of larger or smaller portions of the maps.
  • Iwakuni Japan (sample).
• Maps of the Medieval World
• Maps of the Islamic Middle East
• The 1748 Map of Rome, by Giambattista Nolli is widely regarded by scholars as one of the most important historical documents of the city ever created. This project is a collaborative exploration of the exquisite Nolli engraving, through its historic significance and contemporary application.
• War & Cartography (PBS).

• Maps in Our Lives. Exhibit by Library of Congress. One of many online editions with maps and drawings.
• US Army Map Service AMS Series Index maps
• Army Map Service Series L500 of China (Harvard)
• Army Map Service Topographic Map Series
  • Burma
• Dutch Topographic Maps
  • 50k topo maps from 2000
  • Dutch communal cadastral maps from 1832
• Toporama (Natural Resources Canada). Select topo sections and zoom in or download images. Main site is to sell maps but the free formats are good. New Toporama.

Environment, Transportation, Travel, Geological, Science Maps

• Faunmap. Electronic database of late Quaternary distributions of mammal species in the U.S. Primarily to investigate the evolution of mammalian communities. Uses GIS to map changes in the distributions of individual species and their effects upon other mammals in the community using statistical techniques. Data is from paleontological and archaeological sites containing mammalian remains. Faunmap can be downloaded; it is also available in hardcopy or on disc.
• Railway Maps of European Countries. Official, commercial, and other RR maps.
• Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory. Find maps and materials from government, commercial tourism sites.
• Maya Paradise Maps
• Water Resources of the United States (USGS).
• Watershed Maps. Sample map.
• On-line data and reports on acid rain, atmospheric deposition and precipitation chemistry
• Isopleth Maps (National Atmospheric Deposition Program/National Trends Network (NADP/NTN)). These display the spatial patterns of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium concentrations in the National Trends Network (NTN) from 1985 to 2003 Flash and Powerpoint versions are available. Also maps showing annual precipitation.
• Illinois Natural Resources geospatial Data Clearinghouse.
  Example of a state GIS gateway to data and imagery, in this case, for Illinois. Available data sets and documentation (metadata) include: DRG files, DOQ data, geology, land use, political boundaries, nature preserves, Public Land Survey, roads, water resources, wildlife areas, and year 2000 Orthoimagery for the Des Plaines River Watershed.
• Oregon Geospatial Data Clearinghouse. Similar to the Illinois site above.

Radius Maps

• Market Maps Radius Map page. Commercial site but can be used for some free maps.
• Universal Map Radius Map page. Offers all types of maps and map tools.
• Plot Circles on a Map (FCC). Government site. Tiger mapping GIS. you can enter coordinates for center and then radius. map is generated. Sometimes slow.
• Zip Code & Radius Maps (Intelligent Direct). Draw-it-yourself radius maps based on any zip code or city/town you enter. You can use this site to order custom maps
• See also: Demographic Maps, Thematic Maps, and Radius Maps.

Commercial Mapping Sites

• LandVoyage allows for creation of a basic map, or professional quality exhibits, brochures, & general vicinity maps. It will find any land in the USA in under three minutes or search by location, county, zip, section or latitude or longitude. It views satellite, air photo, USGS topos & BLM maps. It can draw a boundary with a mouse or by legal description, measure acres, distances or get latitude longitude coordinates. It enables you to print, download & e-mail low cost maps. For full use of this database there is a $29.00 monthly fee.
• Mapquest. Easy-to-read and print maps, directions and destination information to millions of online, voice and wireless users. Easy to take along on the road, MapQuest maps and driving directions can be printed, downloaded to a PDA, emailed or faxed. Useful for travel information, (restaurants, ATM's, entertainment and attractions). Aerial photos show a bird's eye view of surrounding areas.
• Maps.com. Geographix Maps.com claims to be “your one stop shop for maps.” Site attracts over 2,000,000 unique users per month and consistently ranks among the most visited travel websites.
• TopoZone. Interactive topo map of the entire United States. They also are a source for custom digital topographic data sets for Web, GIS, and CAD applications. They have every USGS 1:100,000, 1:63,360, 1:25,000 and 1:24,000 scale topographic map for the entire United States. Place name search to locate areas.
• Trails.com
  Contains maps, a trail finder, guidebooks, topo maps for the United States and other countries. Can search by location and activity (hiking, biking skiing…) For full access to information there is a subscription fee of $2.50 per month.

Places for Ideas

• Clickable Maps of Countries
• Globe 4-D. Unique concept products showing maps in the usual 3 dimensions, but also adding the 4th dimension: Time. See the World as it changes through epochs.
• My Wonderful World (National Geographic Society). "Geography is more than places on a map. It's global connections and incredible creatures. It's people and cultures, economics and politics. And it's essential to understanding our interconnected world." Maps, geography resources, games & educational materials, blog, other.
• Nuclear Blast Maps of the City of Your Choice. A Google "hack" that allows you to plot the effects of a nuclear blast. choose a city or choose coordinates (-78.79, 43.00000), then size of the weapon. You will see a radius blast zone map, with data on blast ring densities. (From Map Room blog).
• Nuclear Blast Maps of the City of Your Choice [my title]. If you want to know how they calculate the blast effects visit: Nuclear Bomb Effects Computer.
• UIUC Map and Geography Library
  Collection of geographic links from the UIUC Map and Geography Library. Includes: encyclopedias and Almanacs, gazetteers, maps, Interactive maps, map libraries, map dealers, organizations etc.
  • Online Research Resources: UIUC Library
    Good directory of electronic map resources that are available to the UIUC Library. These links are accessible to anyone.

David J. Bertuca, Map Librarian, University at Buffalo Libraries, NY

Last Modified: 13 September 2006 djb
URL: http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~dbertuca/e-maps-examples.html
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