SPRINGFIELD, Va. (NGA PR) – The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, in partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, is offering its LandScan Global and LandScan High-Definition data sets free without restrictions to the public for the first time since their initial publication in 1999. 

The public availability of these foundational human geography population datasets will help institutions plan for and respond to emergencies, assess human health and security risks, conduct site suitability studies, and a range of other applications that depend on accurate population data. 

“Understanding the geographic distribution of populations is critically important, both in times of crisis and in the development of informed strategies for the future,” said Roger Marin, director of the office of geography at NGA.