National Atlas Web Map and Web Feature Services
You might have already downloaded data from us. Did you know that you may also connect to nationalatlas.gov to display or use our data in your own maps and applications? You can if you adhere to the latest specifications from the Open Geospatial Consortium for open access and retrieval or by following the step-by-step instructions in the support pages listed below.
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We offer a Web Map Service (WMS) that lets you connect to the National Atlas using your Web browser, geographic information system (GIS), or desktop mapping program.
This connection allows you to retrieve images of any of our geospatial data sets using ArcGIS, Geomedia, Google Earth, Quantum GIS, or The National Map Viewer. We're also trying out an experimental Web Feature Service (WFS) for 1, our latest set of digital cartographic frameworks at one million-scale. Using this WFS connection in Geomedia or ArcGIS, you can retrieve the features you select for just your area of interest. No downloading is necessary. This is an experimental service. We will monitor its use to determine whether to offer all the National Atlas data through a WFS connection. |
Support Pages
For more information on our Web map and Web feature services, follow the links in this table:
| WMS (Web Map Service) | Introduction: General information and step-by-step instructions for using this WMS in Google Earth, ArcGIS, GeoMedia, Quantum GIS, and the National Map viewer. |
| Technical: Detailed information on the protocols and commands used to connect to the WMS. | |
| WFS (Web Feature Service) | Introduction: General information and step-by-step instructions for using this WFS in GeoMedia and ArcGIS. |
| Technical: Detailed information on the protocols and commands used to connect to the WFS. |
Plans for the Web Services from the National Atlas
- As new map layers are added to our Map Maker or as map layers are updated, they'll automatically be added to the WMS. We also plan to add all of our large map images to the WMS.
- We will add new 1 data to the WFS as it's released.
- Updates are reported by Twitter.
- National Atlas staff members are considering whether to develop and offer a Web Coverage Service for those who use our large map images.
- Voluntary surveys will be posted to learn more about the way you use the WMS and WFS and what we might do to improve the services. Please take a few minutes to participate.
- If you have quick and easy instructions for using the National Atlas WMS or WFS in your map viewer or application, please share them with us.
Reporting Problems with the National Atlas WMS or WFS
To report problems with our services you may contact us here.
