Update infromation:
2024/05/01 JST License information was added.
The contents of this website are subject to change without notice.

Citation

Please cite the following paper for publishing your results using the data of this global terrain classification.

Junko Iwahashi, Izumi Kamiya, Masashi Matsuoka and Dai Yamazaki (2018) Global terrain classification using 280 m DEMs: segmentation, clustering, and reclassification. Progress in Earth and Planetary Science, 5:1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40645-017-0157-2
LINK (open access by SpringerOpen)

License

This work was originally supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP15K01176.
Based on the concept of JSPS KAKENHI which encourages open access, we believe the data published on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0.
When you use the data in your paper or presentation or product, please be sure to cite the above paper (Iwahashi et al., 2018).

7.5 arc-second global GeoTIFF (Geographic, WGS1984)

This GeoTIFF file was converted by Dr. Tomislav Hengl (ISRIC) from the shapefiles of the 15 terrain groups of Iwahashi et al. (2018). Thanks to Dr. Hengl, the GeoTIFF file is published here.
DOWNLOAD

Polygon shapefiles for each tile (Lambert azimuthal equal-area, WGS1984)

Gray tiles: No Data

The attributes of shapefiles include not only the 15 terrain groups (GROUP; grouped by Japanese geomorphological and geological maps) but also the original 40 classes (CLASS).
The tile size is 30 degree (EW) x 20 degree (NS). Map projection is Lambert azimuthal equal-area (the central meridian and latitude of origin: the center point for each tile).
Please check the index map and download below zip files. Legend of the terrain groups is attached in the zip file.
01_70N180W  02_70N150W  03_70N120W  04_70N090W  05_70N060W  06_70N030W  07_70N000E  08_70N030E  09_70N060E  10_70N090E  11_70N120E  12_70N150E  13_50N180W  14_50N150W  15_50N120W  16_50N090W  17_50N060W  18_50N030W  19_50N000E  20_50N030E  21_50N060E  22_50N090E  23_50N120E  24_50N150E  26_30N150W  27_30N120W  28_30N090W  29_30N060W  30_30N030W  31_30N000E  32_30N030E  33_30N060E  34_30N090E  35_30N120E  36_30N150E  37_10N180W  39_10N120W  40_10N090W  41_10N060W  42_10N030W  43_10N000E  44_10N030E  45_10N060E  46_10N090E  47_10N120E  50_10S150W  51_10S120W  52_10S090W  53_10S060W  54_10S030W  55_10S000E  56_10S030E  57_10S060E  58_10S090E  59_10S120E  60_10S150E  61_30S180W  62_30S150W  63_30S120W  64_30S090W  65_30S060W  66_30S030W  67_30S000E  68_30S030E  69_30S060E  70_30S090E  71_30S120E  72_30S150E  73_50S180W  76_50S090W  77_50S060W  78_50S030W  79_50S000E  80_50S030E  81_50S060E  82_50S090E  83_50S120E  84_50S150E  88_70S090W  89_70S060W  90_70S030W  93_70S060E  96_70S150E

Additional information

This study was supported by JSPS KAKENHI 15K01176.
The global terrain classification was created from 280 m DEMs using MERIT DEM (Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain DEM; Yamazaki et al., 2017).
GlobCover 2009 was used to mask water bodies in most areas.
Iwahashi et al. (2018) is an update of Iwahashi and Pike (2007) (LINK to the data download site).
For more information, please read the paper, or contact to the corresponding author (Junko Iwahashi).

Following research

Please check the following research.
Japan, 30m resolution: Classification of Topography using 30 m DEM of Japan (Iwahashi et al., 2021)
Global, 90m resolution: Global polygons for terrain classification divided into uniform slopes and basins (Iwahashi and Yamazaki, 2022)