Shapefile / GeoJSON
Natural Earth Populated Places
Curated global cities and towns with population ranks and feature classification from Natural Earth.
Basemap reference City mapping
POI & places
Points of Interest & Places
Global points of interest and populated place datasets including Natural Earth populated places, Overture POI, and GeoNames.
Populated places GeoNames Overture POI Natural Earth cities Geocoding Mountain Peaks Castle Locations Waterfalls Caves
Downloadable datasets in this category
10
Each dataset page captures official source links, access notes, and related GIS workflows.
Official sources and direct access
Mixed delivery
Pages combine official portals, direct downloads, and task-focused usage guidance in one canonical URL.
GEO coverage
Task-first content
Intros, FAQs, and workflows are written to answer real “where do I download…” searches.
POI and populated places pages help GIS users find location data for cities, towns, and cultural features worldwide.
These datasets serve as essential reference layers for basemaps, geocoding, and location-based analysis.
Downloadable datasets in this category
Category directory
Category pages aggregate the most useful entry points first, then push visitors into detailed dataset pages with richer steps and FAQ sections.
GeoJSON / Parquet
Overture Maps Places
Global POI dataset combining OSM, Meta, and Microsoft data with consistent schema.
POI mapping Location search
TXT / API
GeoNames Global Gazetteer
The largest free global gazetteer with millions of place names, coordinates, and feature classification.
Geocoding reference Place name lookup
GeoJSON / Shapefile / PBF
OpenStreetMap POI Extracts
Global point-of-interest data from OpenStreetMap including shops, restaurants, services, and cultural venues.
Point-of-interest mapping Local search applications
GeoJSON / Parquet
Overture Maps Addresses
Global point address dataset from Overture Maps with street names, house numbers, cities, postal codes, and administrative hierarchy.
Geocoding Address validation
Point (peaks)
Global mountain peak locations from OpenStreetMap, filterable by country and elevation.
Mountain mapping Hiking route planning
Point (castles)
Global castle and fortification locations from OpenStreetMap, filterable by country.
Heritage mapping Historical GIS
Point (waterfalls)
Global waterfall locations from OpenStreetMap, filterable by country.
Waterfall mapping Hydrological analysis
Point (caves)
Global cave entrance locations from OpenStreetMap, filterable by country.
Speleology research Natural feature mapping
Point (settlements)
Global settlement locations (city/town/village) from OpenStreetMap, filterable by country and type.
Settlement mapping Population geography
Recommended POI workflow
How to choose a source
- Use Natural Earth Populated Places for a lightweight global city layer with population ranks.
- Use Overture POI or GeoNames when you need detailed point-of-interest categories beyond just settlements.
- Try Mountain Peaks for elevation-focused POI or Castle Locations for heritage and tourism GIS projects.
- Explore Waterfall Locations or Cave Locations for natural feature mapping.
- Convert to GeoJSON for web map use and combine with boundary layers for regional analysis.
Category FAQ
Category FAQ
What is the best free dataset for global city locations?
Natural Earth Populated Places provides a clean, curated set of global settlements with population classification. GeoNames offers a more comprehensive database with millions of place names worldwide.
Are points of interest available with OpenStreetMap quality?
Yes. Overture Maps Foundation provides curated POI data derived from OpenStreetMap, Facebook, and other sources with consistent schema and global coverage.