Yes and they're free. Nearly all map layers presented within our Map Maker are available for use outside the National Atlas. You can download these map layers at no cost using file transfer protocol (FTP). See our Raw Data Download page for more information about downloading National Atlas map layers. The following private company sells National Atlas raw data on CD-ROM.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer based information system that can work with digital maps as well as its associated attribute data to perform query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps.

Use the date found on the bottom of the Raw Data Download page. For individual layers, we suggest a slightly different format. Include the author and the map layer title, and use the publication date for the individual map layer, i.e. Chris Daly, Spatial Climate Analysis Service, September 2000, United States Average Annual Precipitation, 1961-1990, in National Atlas of the United States, http://nationalatlas.gov For National Atlas articles, we suggest including the article title and date.

We do not have a zip code map layer at this time. However, in the National Atlas Map Maker you can search for a place by its zip code and then zoom to that location on your map. Go to the Map Maker, click on the Find tab, then follow the onscreen directions. far as we know, there are no free zip code maps available online. Several private companies sell zip code maps, either online or on CD-ROM. Also see the U.S. Postal Service zip code look-up and address information page.

GIS is an extremely useful computer-based resource that can be used to store, view, and analyze geographic data. It presents information in layers, allowing you to make comparisons between data in a familiar format. Please refer to GIS.com for more information. Google Map is an increasingly familiar form of GIS. We believe the Green Map System is a unique compliment to GIS, and a number of Mapmakers have used GIS software to create their Green Maps in the past.

Not yet. We are currently working on the coastal dynamics, geology and habitat layers. Please contact Brain Lynn, Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program (SEA), (360) 407-6224, for more information.

No. The USGS is mapping current West Nile virus information, and also has maps from several previous years. West Nile virus information for the previous year is usually added to the National Atlas Map Maker in late spring.

The layer order can be changed from the layers dialog, which can be found on the view menu or by pressing the button. Select the layer you wish to move then click on the Up or Dn buttons on the right to move the layer up or down.

No, this is not a function of the National Atlas. The following Web sites do provide this service and we welcome information on additional sites. Expedia

Copies of GIS maps for Ottawa County can be obtained by contacting the Ottawa County GIS Department by phone at (616) 738-4600.

To get census data into GIS, you need to obtain two pieces of information: the actual data, and the boundary files that you will join the data to in order to map it.

We will display up to 16 to 20 layers, depending upon the quality of your data. Popular layers include: parcels, land use, zoning, utilities, parks, schools, trails, police and fire stations, subdivisions, and libraries.

No. The National Atlas of the United States of America® published by the USGS in 1970, is out of print. However, the Library of Congress has added the original National Atlas to its American Memory collection on the World Wide Web. See the American Memory site to browse through the earlier atlas. Also, many maps from the 1970 edition can be purchased from the USGS. See our page on Maps from the 1970 National Atlas for more information.

Where did the Atlas data come from? All of the Atlas data except data for the Vegetation, City Lights, Hail, and Tornadoes maps came from NCDC's data holdings. See Data Documentation for a description of all data sets used and where they came from.

The best analogy is to the way cartoons used to be animated. Each component of a scene would be painted on a transparent film, and then each film would be stacked or layered over the other to produce the complete composition. In this way, you could easily animate a person walking because his legs could be animated independantly of his body, for example. Similarly, complex images can be broken down to layers within GIMP and each layer can be processed independentlly of every other.

up-to-date Web browser installed with the Shockwave plug-in is all the software you need to use nationalatlas.gov™. Please make certain that your browser allows pop-up windows to open. We also suggest that you turn off the display of scripting errors in your browser's Internet options or preferences. Here are the browsers that we support: Some of our Dynamic Maps require Shockwave, which is not available for Linux users. Earlier versions of these browsers are not supported.

Please see our Products page for a complete listing of the products and services included in the National Atlas.

Please send comments, bug reports, suggestions for improvements, questions, and any other communications to us at atlasmail@usgs.gov. No, not usually. Nearly all information collected by the Federal Government is in the public domain and use of raw data produced under this project is not restricted in any way.

In the upper right corner (just above the map), click on the help button. This will open a PDF help file to show all the tools available on the site. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this help file.