Research Guides: Maps: Find Maps Online

Introduction

Maps and other geographic resources are increasingly available on the Internet. Map websites frequently offer special features such as zooming capabilities, customization options, and links to text resources that provide context for the maps.

If you use online maps in your paper or presentation, be sure to give credit to the website in your source list.

Map of the Week

Presidential Election, 2008

Printable Map of 2008 Presidential Election Results, Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey

Find Maps Online

Google Earth
This free downloadable program uses satellite imagery, terrain maps, and geographic boundaries to help you explore the world. Type in street addresses or search for maps of specific geographic features or locations.
National Geographic MapMachine
Explore satellite and street maps.
National Geographic Atlas Explorer
Browse political and physical maps of continents and oceans.
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection
Thousands of downloadable regional and country maps. Also available are historical maps and thematic maps covering issues like energy usage, economic activity, land use, and population density. From University of Texas at Austin.
CIA World Factbook
The Factbook provides maps and information on the history, people, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.

United States

USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer
Explore and compare USGS topographic maps from between 1884 and 2006. Download maps as PDFs.
TopoView
Explore and compare USGS topographic maps from between 1884 and 2006. Download maps as GeoPDFs, GeoTIFFs, JPEG, and KMZ files.
Historic USGS Maps of New England & New York
Browse USGS topographic maps of New England and New York from the 1890s to 1950s. Download maps as JPGs.
Atlas of Historical County Boundaries
Maps that show US county, state, and territorial boundary changes over time. Files can be accessed by state, and include interactive maps, text descriptions of changes, and GIS files.

Other Regions & World

Ancient World Mapping Center
Digitized reference maps related to ancient civilizations such as Greece, Egypt, and the Roman Empire. Download maps as PDFs.
Broer Map Library
Online historic maps of countries, cities, and US states, organized geographically. Included are standard relief maps, USGS topographical maps, and road maps. A zoom tool is available.
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection
Over 68,000 historical maps from the 16th-21st century, particularly strong in North and South America. Open the LUNA map viewer and do a keyword search for maps of interest. A zooming tool is available.
Historical Map Archive
A collection of over 30,000 digitized maps organized by region and theme, including maps of Biblical lands and Civil War battles. Maps can be viewed as JPGs or using a special plug-in that permits zooming. From the University of Alabama.
Library of Congress Maps
Search over 15,000 digitized maps by date, location, and subject.
Map History / History of Cartography
Despite its outdated look, this website continues to be updated and provides several thousand links to historic maps on the Internet, organized by geographic area and theme.
Old Maps Online
Search for online digital historical maps across numerous different collections.

United States

Census Explorer
This mapping utility draws upon data from the Census and American Population Survey to help you create maps of demographic, retail, and commuting data.
U.S. Census Bureau Maps & Data
Use the interactive Census Data Mapper to see county-based demographic maps; browse Thematic Maps with themes such as business, income and poverty, and race and ethnicity; and browse Reference Maps to see geographic boundaries and features.
Census Scope
Demographic maps on themes such as population change, home ownership, race, and segregation. Most recent census data is from 2000.
Mapping the Measure of America
This interactive map creation tool from the Human Development Project enables you to create maps of various health, education, and income indicators at the state or Congressional District level.
The National Map Small Scale
Printable maps of congressional districts, presidential elections from 1789-2012, federal lands, and more.

Other Regions & World

Electronic Cultural Atlas Initiative
These "cultural atlases" portray national and regional cultures in map form. Many of the ECAI maps are interactive or animated. ECAI also provides links to maps from other organizations.
Poverty Mapping
Map gallery and data sets depicting poverty rates, poverty density, and income inequality in developing nations. From NASA's Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center. You must register and login to download maps or data.
Social Explorer: Explore Maps
A tool for generating maps for a variety of Census variables such as race, income, and education level, down to the Census tract level. While data for pre-1940 Censuses and some specific variables require a paid subscription, much of the site is free.
World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance
This database contains country-by-country time series data on over 1,000 social, economic and demographic variables. After doing your search, click the "Map" button to view your results as a map.

New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Maps
Find maps for New Hampshire topography, boating & fishing public access, bathymetry of lakes & ponds, Wildlife Management Units & Areas, and Wildlife Action Plan habitat.
EJSCREEN: Environmental Justice Screening and Mapping Tool Share
This interactive tool from the EPA allows you to create maps of environmental and health data for specific US communities and regions.
NASA Earth Observatory Global Maps
See change over time related to net primary productivity, sea surface temperature, snow cover, total rainfall, and more on these global maps.
North American Environmental Atlas
Produced by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, this online mapping tool enables you to produce maps of ecosystems, conservation areas, and the human impact on the environment in North America.
National Geologic Map Database
Find geologic maps at different scales in this tool from the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS Map Topics
Find map resources related to biology and ecosystems, climate and land use change, energy, environmental health, geology, minerals, natural hazards, water, and more.
The National Map Small Scale
Printable maps of climate, federal lands, satellite views, and more.

GeoPlatform
Created by the US government, this platform enables you to view pre-created maps or build custom maps using geospatial data from a wide range of government agencies.
Free Mapping Online
From the University of Michigan's Spatial Data Center, the free online tool allows you to map Census, economics, and business data for the U.S., as well as Census, economic, industry, land use, and nighttime lights data for China. You must create a free account to use this tool.
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