For example:
Version 3.6 is maintained as a legacy release on the official website. You can access it through two primary methods:
To download and use GADM version 3.6:
GADM 3.6 data is available in several formats. Choose the one that matches your software:
Ideal for use in Google Earth to visualize boundaries quickly. download gadm data version 36 work
GADM data is typically in WGS84 (EPSG:4326). If you are calculating areas (km²), you must reproject the layer to a projected coordinate system (e.g., UTM or Mercator).
# Load necessary library library(sf)
gdf_level0 = gpd.read_file("gadm36_IDN.gpkg", layer="level0") gdf_level1 = gpd.read_file("gadm36_IDN.gpkg", layer="level1")
GADM allows you to download data for the entire world as a single dataset or split by individual countries. For most projects, downloading by country is faster and saves local disk space. Select your target country from the dropdown menu. Choose your preferred file format. 3. Choose the Right File Format For example: Version 3
Features native compatibility with modern open data standards like OGC GeoPackage and classic Esri Shapefiles. Understanding GADM Administrative Coding Levels
provinces = gdf_all[gdf_all["LEVEL"] == 1]
To help tailor this guide further, let me know you are mapping, which GIS software or programming language you plan to use, and what kind of analysis you intend to run with the data. Share public link
print(gadm_data)
Smaller localized divisions (e.g., Communes, Wards, Parishes), available only for specific countries. How to Work with GADM 3.6 Data
# For GeoPackage library(sf) gadm <- st_read("gadm36_FRA.gpkg", layer = "ADM_ADM_1") # For RDS gadm <- readRDS("gadm36_FRA_1_rds.rds")
To convert a specific layer to a GMT-compatible file:
If you are creating a small-scale web map, the extreme detail of GADM coastlines is unnecessary. Use the Simplify tool (Douglas-Peucker algorithm) in QGIS or ArcGIS to reduce vertex count and speed up rendering times. GADM data is typically in WGS84 (EPSG:4326)
: Choose GeoPackage or Shapefile . Then click the download button. The file will be named like gadm36_FRA_gpkg.zip or gadm36_FRA_shp.zip .