Land cover
Dataset Description
The continental-scale dataset comes from the European Space Agency Global Land Cover dataset (GlobCover Version 2.3, 2009). Data was collected from Dec 2004-June 2006, from MERIS FR time series, at 300m cell resolution, with 22 land classes defined as per the UN Land Cover Classification System (LCCS). © ESA / ESA Globcover Project (due@esa.int), led by MEDIAS-France/POSTEL (postel-contact@medias.cnes.fr)
A reprocessed version of the land cover map, which is topologically corrected and provides more detailed LCCS classes, has been produced by the Global Land Cover Network.
| 1 | Post-flooding or irrigated croplands (or aquatic) |
| 2 | Rainfed croplands |
| 3 | Mosaic cropland (50-70%) / vegetation (grassland/shrubland/forest) (20-50%) |
| 4 | Mosaic vegetation (grassland/shrubland/forest) (50-70%) / cropland (20-50%) |
| 5 | Closed to open (>15%) broadleaved evergreen or semi-deciduous forest (>5m) |
| 6 | Closed (>40%) broadleaved deciduous forest (>5m) |
| 7 | Open (15-40%) broadleaved deciduous forest/woodland (>5m) |
| 8 | Closed (>40%) needleleaved evergreen forest (>5m) |
| 9 | Open (15-40%) needleleaved deciduous or evergreen forest (>5m) |
| 10 | Closed to open (>15%) mixed broadleaved and needleleaved forest (>5m) |
| 11 | Mosaic forest or shrubland (50-70%) / grassland (20-50%) |
| 12 | Mosaic grassland (50-70%) / forest or shrubland (20-50%) |
| 13 | Closed to open (>15%) (broadleaved or needleleaved, evergreen or deciduous) shrubland (<5m) |
| 14 | Closed to open (>15%) herbaceous vegetation (grassland, savannas or lichens/mosses) |
| 15 | Sparse (<15%) vegetation |
| 16 | Closed to open (>15%) broadleaved forest regularly flooded (semi-permanently or temporarily) - Fresh or brackish water |
| 17 | Closed (>40%) broadleaved forest or shrubland permanently flooded - Saline or brackish water |
| 18 | Closed to open (>15%) grassland or woody vegetation on regularly flooded or waterlogged soil - Fresh, brackish or saline water |
| 19 | Artificial surfaces and associated areas (Urban areas >50%) |
| 20 | Bare areas |
| 21 | Water bodies |
| 22 | Permanent snow and ice |
| 23 | No data (burnt area, clouds...) |
Links to External Data
The reprocessed version of the land cover map is available to download as vector based (.shp) GIS-enabled file from the FAO's Geonetwork metadata catalogue.
Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Additional resources >> Land cover