Commons:Free media resources/Map

This page sums up freely licensed maps and satellite data (also public domain) that can be used as sources for file upload at Wikimedia Commons. However never blindly upload everything from these pages. Please always double check if the media is really freely licensed and if it is useful for Wikimedia Commons projects. Thus it is required to act according to the following points. Many maps on the web are in the public domain. See Template:PD-map; no need to create another free map here if it already exists on the web.

Before you upload in the Commons any media from these sources:

  • Check if it is already available in the Wikimedia Commons - See the search page.
  • Check if the media has a free licence that can be used in the Wikimedia Commons - See license requirements and useable licences.
  • Never forget to include a good description, credit to the author, source and the right license tag (and justify, e.g. with a quote, why this license tag is right) - See project scope.

Please don't data dump

  • Not all resources are useful for Wikimedia projects, for example images without informational value (private holiday or party pictures, minor artwork without informational purpose) or images with inferior quality than images with similar content already available on Commons. See project scope.
  • Check if the website with the link has a fair amount of free licensed content with a useable license.
  • Place the links in the proper sub page.

Maps, aerial and satellite images

  • Free maps down to street level are available from OpenStreetMap, under a {{Cc-by-sa-2.0}} license. OpenStreetMap requires that all maps are credited to "© OpenStreetMap contributors", and that you "make it clear that the data is available under the Open Database License"; {{OpenStreetMap}} can be used for this purpose. Creative Commons does not allow relicensing of derivative works under GNU Free Documentation license, so all maps based on OpenStreetMap must be licensed only under a Creative Commons license.
    •  Unsure → Underlying satellite images are problematic as they usually aren't licensed under OSM's ODbL. Background images sourced from Bing Maps are usually against our license policy.
  • OpenAerialMap (OAM) is a set of tools for searching, sharing, and using openly licensed satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. All imagery is made available through the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team's Open Imagery Network (OIN) Node and licensed CC-BY 4.0, with attribution as contributors of Open Imagery Network. All imagery is available to be traced in OpenStreetMap.
  • www.maps-for-free.com : GFDL relief maps of any part of the world in PNG : Click on the photo icon and select a rectangled area by holding down the mouse button. Afterwards a little window pops up with the grabbed area. (tutorial) ; The Map Layers (except the labeling layer and the contour layer) and the Relief Maps are all computed by Hans Braxmeier. [...] Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify all map layers and relief maps under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation license, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation except the labeling layer and contour layer.(about). You must set your browser to allow popups. Please make sure you credit the author and add the screenshot to the category Category:Maps-for-free images or one of its subcategories.
  • Our World in Data has many CC BY datagraphic maps (files here)
  • Maps and satellite imagery issued by agencies of the federal government of the United States like the CIA, NIMA/NGA or NOAA (including United States Geological Survey (USGS) maps) are acceptable. Use the appropriate template such as {{PD-USGov}}, or the more specific {{PD-USGov-Military-NGA}}, {{PD-USGov-NOAA}} or {{PD-USGov-CIA}}.
  • For satellite pictures of the Earth, an acceptable source is the NASA World Wind project. Many of the datasets that come installed with WorldWind by default are in the public domain (), particularly those that come from the U.S. Geological Survey. For such images, use license tag {{PD-WorldWind}}. Note that some datasets may not be in the public domain; use caution.
  • The Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library (see also its Flickr account).
  • University of Texas at Austin, Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection : old maps. 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 (...) A few maps are copyrighted, and are clearly marked as such. (Frequently asked questions)
  • Screenshots of maps from Mapy.com site are released under CC BY-SA 4.0 license (Licensing in Czech/English). It applies for Basic (Základní), Outdoor (Turistická), Winter (Zimní) and Geographic (Zeměpisná) maps worldwide (these are, except for Czechia, renderings of OSM). Moreover, Aerial (Letecká) maps are released under CC BY-SA 4.0 only within Czechia. Z 19. století map (Second Military Mapping Survey) is in {{Pd-old}}. Uploaded files should be tagged with {{Mapy.cz CC-BY-SA}} and sources of the maps should be listed. Files from Mapy.com are categorized in Category:Screenshots from Mapy.com.

Sweden

Japan

Spain

Switzerland

Historic maps

Category:Commons resources Category:Maps Category:Wikimedia projects and maps
Category:Commons resources Category:Maps Category:Wikimedia projects and maps