Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL)
GHSL is the European Commission's global human settlement dataset providing built-up area and population grids at 30m-1km with multi-decadal time series from 1975 to 2030.
Format
GeoTIFF / Raster
Geometry
Raster (built-up and population)
Coverage
Global
Resolution
30m / 250m / 1km
About this dataset
European Commission's global spatial raster and built-up layer at 30m-1km resolution for population and settlement analysis.
The Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre provides global spatial information on human presence, built-up areas, and population distribution at multiple resolutions (30m, 250m, 1km). It includes multi-temporal data from 1975 to 2030 for tracking urbanization trends.
How to download
- 1 Open the GHSL download page.
- 2 Select the product type (built-up area, population, settlement model) and resolution.
- 3 Choose the reference year (1975-2030 multi-temporal).
- 4 Download the GeoTIFF raster and open in QGIS or GeoDataViewer.
FAQ
What makes GHSL unique?
GHSL provides multi-decadal data (1975-2030) in a consistent framework, built-up area AND population grids, and multiple resolutions — ideal for long-term urbanization trend analysis.
Can I get GHSL data at very high resolution?
Yes. GHSL offers 30m resolution for built-up area classification, among the finest free global settlement data available.