Previous GEBCO WMS

Since 2014 GEBCO has made its gridded data sets available as a Web Map Service (WMS).

Find out how to access WMS layers for the latest release.

WMS layers for previous grid releases are available from the links below:

Further details

GEBCO_2021 WMS

The GEBCO_2021 Grid was published in July 2021 and is available as a Web Map Service (WMS).

Layers are available, for the global elevation map as a shaded relief image or 'flat' map and the GEBCO Type Identifier (TID) grid. These layers can be viewed in a web browser or Geographic Information System (GIS) and incorporated in your own web application.

Accessing the WMS for the GEBCO_2021 Grid

To access the GEBCO_2021 WMS, enter the following address into your WMS client

https://wms.gebco.net/2021/mapserv?

Supported service requests

GetCapabilities

This request returns information about the layers contained in the service, for example, their content and geographic extent. The information is returned in the form of a XML file (you may need to save this to disk to view the information).

The following links provide access to example GetCapabilities calls to GEBCO's WMS.

GetMap

This request returns a map. Using the information given in the GetCapabilities request, the user can specify parameters such as the required layer, the geographic extent of the map and the size of the returned image.

GEBCO_2021 Grid - with ice surface elevation information

  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO Grid displayed as a shaded relief image
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO Grid displayed as a 'flat map' image, colour-coded for elevation
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO Grid displayed as a 'flat map' image, colour-coded for elevation, showing areas based on measured data only

GEBCO_2021 Grid - with sub-ice topography/bathymetry information

  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO Grid displayed as a shaded relief image
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO Grid displayed as a 'flat map' image, colour-coded for elevation

GEBCO_2021 Type Identifier (TID) Grid

  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global TID Grid - grid cells based on measured data are shown in black
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global TID Grid - grid cells colour-coded by TID value

GEBCO_2020 WMS

The GEBCO_2020 Grid was published in May 2020 and is available as a Web Map Service (WMS).

Layers are available, for the global elevation map as a shaded relief image or 'flat' map and the GEBCO Type Identifier (TID) grid. These layers can be viewed in a web browser or Geographic Information System (GIS) and incorporated in your own web application.

Accessing the WMS for the GEBCO_2020 Grid

To access the GEBCO_2020 WMS, enter the following address into your WMS client

https://wms.gebco.net/2020/mapserv?

Supported service requests

GetCapabilities

This request returns information about the layers contained in the service, for example, their content and geographic extent. The information is returned in the form of a XML file (you may need to save this to disk to view the information).

The following links provide access to example GetCapabilities calls to GEBCO's WMS.

GetMap

This request returns a map. Using the information given in the GetCapabilities request, the user can specify parameters such as the required layer, the geographic extent of the map and the size of the returned image.

  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_2021 Grid displayed as a shaded relief image
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_20210 Grid displayed as a 'flat map' image, colour-coded for elevation
  •  
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_2020 TID Grid - grid cells based on measured data shown in black

GEBCO_2019 WMS

The GEBCO_2019 Grid was published in May 2019 and is available as a Web Map Service (WMS).

Layers are available, for the global elevation map as a shaded relief image or 'flat' map and the GEBCO Type Identifier (TID) grid. These layers can be viewed in a web browser or Geographic Information System (GIS) and incorporated in your own web application.

Accessing the WMS for the GEBCO_2019 Grid

To access the GEBCO_2019 WMS, enter the following address into your WMS client

https://wms.gebco.net/2019/mapserv?

Supported service requests

GetCapabilities

This request returns information about the layers contained in the service, for example, their content and geographic extent. The information is returned in the form of a XML file (you may need to save this to disk to view the information).

The following links provide access to example GetCapabilities calls to GEBCO's WMS.

GetMap

This request returns a map. Using the information given in the GetCapabilities request, the user can specify parameters such as the required layer, the geographic extent of the map and the size of the returned image.

  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_2019 Grid displayed as a shaded relief image
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_2019 Grid displayed as a 'flat map' image, colour-coded for elevation
  • WMS 1.3.0 GetMap request for the global GEBCO_2019 TID Grid - grid cells based on measured data shown in black

WMS layers for the GEBCO_2014 Grid

The GEBCO_2014 Grid was published in 2014. To access the WMS layers for the data set, enter the following address into your WMS client

For the global map: https://wms.gebco.net/2014/mapserv?

For a view centred on the North Pole: https://wms.gebco.net/north-polar/mapserv?

For a view centred on the South Pole: https://wms.gebco.net/south-polar/mapserv?

Further details are given below about supported service requests and how to view a WMS are given below.

Supported service requests

The following service requests are supported by this WMS

GetCapabilities

This request returns information about the layers contained in the service, for example, their content and geographic extent.

The following links provide access to example GetCapabilities calls

GetMap

This request returns a map. Using the information given in the GetCapabilities request, the user can specify parameters such as the required layer, the geographic extent of the map and the size of the returned image.

GetFeatureInfo

Retrieves the underlying data values for a pixel location on a map. For the GEBCO Source Identifier (SID) Grid, a link is provided to metadata about the source data set that the GEBCO grid is based on at this location.

The following are example GetFeatureInfo requests for GEBCO's WMS.

How can I view a WMS?

WMS are designed to allow imagery to be shared over the internet, i.e. within your own application or software package you can access a map hosted on a remote server.

The GetMap request can be used to view a WMS in a web browser. Just cut and paste this URL into your browser to view the WMS image; changing the BBOX values alters the geographic extent of the area viewed.

The GetCapabilities request provides information about the image layers contained in the WMS.

There are a number of commercial and free GIS and mapping-type packages in which you can view WMS. 

Please note that the quality of the viewed image may depend on how the software package interprets the WMS.

Disclaimer

This WMS has been developed and made available, on behalf of GEBCO, by the British Oceanographic Data Centre (BODC).

Whilst every effort has been made to make sure that the imagery is as error free as possible, BODC and GEBCO give no warranty as to the quality, accuracy or completeness of the imagery contained within this WMS or to the non-interruption or continuation of the service. Furthermore we can give no warranty that this WMS is compatible with any other data with which the material is to be used.

The imagery within this WMS should not be used for navigation or for any purpose relating to safety at sea.