Geodata and metadata

The terms of use of Geoportti RI services are listed on the page About.

Spatial Data Services for Research


Paituli provides spatial datasets that are important for research and education or are provided by Finnish researchers.

At the moment datasets from the following data providers are available: Agency for rural affairs, Finnish Environment Institute, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Institute for the Languages of Finland, National Land Survey of Finland, Natural Resource Institute Finland, Population Register Centre, Statistics Finland, Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency and University of Helsinki. Compared to other spatial data services Paituli includes also historical versions of datasets. All the datasets are open.

Maintained by CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd.


GeoCubes Finland is a harmonised multi-resolution raster geodata repository on the cloud.

GeoCubes Finland is a harmonised, multi-resolution raster geodata repository containing several national datasets from themes like Digital Elevation Model, superficial deposits, land cover and forestry. The contents are freely available open data.

GeoCubes Finland provides several ways to access its contents. The area of Finland is divided into 60 individual 100 km * 100 km blocks. Each block can be downloaded as GeoTIFF or VRT file. The OGC-standardized Web Coverage Service (WCS) or the custom GeoCubes API can be used for accessing data more flexibly, for instance using a bounding box or the extent of an administrative unit of the country. GeoCubes content layers can also be visualised by accessing the provided OGC-compliant Web Map Tile Service (WMTS) interface.

Examples of accessing GeoCubes content layers include direct file access and API call examples.

Maintained by Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI)


Etsin is a research data finder that contains metadata on research datasets.

The metadata stored in Etsin includes information on the author, subject, format and licensing of the dataset. In the service you can search and find data from various fields of research.

Researchers, research groups or organisations can also use Etsin to publish information on their datasets and offer them for wider use. Authenticated users may enter information on their own datasets, and of others’ datasets with their permission.

The published metadata on the dataset is open to everyone. The data rights owner decides how the underlying research data can be accessed and by whom. Sharing your data openly is recommended whenever possible. Etsin works independently of actual data storage location.

Maintained by IT Center for Science Ltd. (CSC)


National Spatial Data Services


Paikkatietohakemisto is the most comprehensive catalogue of spatial datasets and services in Finland.

It contains descriptions of more than 1000 datasets and services. Paikkatietohakemisto is one of the outcomes of the process to implement INSPIRE in Finland.

Maintained by National Land Survey of Finland (NLS)


In the map service of Paikkatietoikkuna you can view spatial data by different organizations.

You can also create thematic maps or publish an embedded map on your website. The map service of Paikkatietoikkuna contains several hundred map layers. Paikkatietoikkuna is one of the outcomes of the process to implement INSPIRE in Finland.

Maintained by National Land Survey of Finland (NLS)


Avoindata.fi is a centralized repository for Open Data released by Finnish entities.

The repository contains datasets published by the government, municipalities, companies, organizations and individuals.

Maintained by Population Register Centre


The Finnish Biodiversity Information Facility (FinBIF) is an open access data repository for researchers, government and the public.

FinBIF consolidates many collections and datasets of living Finland in a single source. Our online portal, laji.fi, allows you to browse, search and download information about all forms of biological life, and to record and share your own observations. FinBIF is committed to the sharing and promotion of open access data.


Finnish Forest Centre collects and provides data about forests in Finland.

Most of the data are available openly based on the law about forest data (Suomen metsäkeskuksen metsätietojärjestelmästä). The data sets contain information about forest sites and cover, about important biotopes and about the usage of forests. Open forest data are available in three forms: as map services and as spatial data provided as files or through access interfaces.

The web pages are in Finnish. A brief English description is available at https://www.metsaan.fi/en/briefly-english

Maintained by Finnish Forest Centre


The Finnish Meteorological Institute has made its data sets freely available for public use. The data sets are available in machine-readable, digital format.

The Finnish Meteorological Institute has built a new online service that will make it possible to search for, browse and download the Institute’s data sets in machine-readable format free of charge. The technical implementation of the online service complies with the requirements laid down in the INSPIRE Directive. The content of the service is wider than that defined in the INSPIRE Directive. The search service will share the open data according to the Open Geospatial Consortium standards.

Maintained by Finnish Meteorological Institute


Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency (FTIA) supports transport in Finland by offering it’s data openly for the public.

Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency shares open data through several services. The data are distributed to services based on the content type and technical qualities of the data. Some of the data are accessible through several different services. All public data can be published according to the principles of open knowledge. Before the data are opened, Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency confirms that there are no legal obstacles for the publication.

Maintained by Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency


Hakku is a repository for geological data produced and obtained by Geological Survey of Finland.

The service includes Finnish spatial data, documents and metadata from the 19th century to the present day. The service is continuously expanded with new products.

Maintained by Geological Survey of Finland (GTK)


Geological Survey of Finland provides spatial data sets through WMS and WFS interfaces.

The web page also contains links to Paikkatietoikkuna and OneGeology Europe Portal that provide some of GTK’s spatial data sets for viewing.

Maintained by Geological Survey of Finland


LIPAS is the national database of sport facilities and their conditions in Finland.

Maintained by University of Jyväskylä


Lounaistieto data portal offers open data from Southwest Finland.

Maintained by Lounaispaikka


Luke Luonnonvaratieto offers the ability to search for research data descriptions of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).

The service includes descriptions of research data for agriculture, forestry and food sectors, game management, fisheries and environment.

Maintained by Natural Resources Institute Finland


National Land Survey of Finland provides access interfaces for various map and spatial data sets.

Depending on the data set, WMS, WMTS, WFS, WCS and REST interfaces are provided. Some of the services are free of charge, for some a service agreement is required. The web pages are mainly in Finnish, partially also in English. 

Maintained by the National Land Survey of Finland


The National Land Survey of Finland open data file download service is a self-service for downloading maps and spatial data.

You can select the products you want, their format as well as the area they cover. The data are licensed under National Land Survey Open data CC 4.0 licence.

Maintained by the National Land Survey of Finland


Sodankylä National Satellite Data Centre centre provides easy access to latest satellite data.

The data is from om Baltic Sea region and Nothern Hemisphere dedicated data products unveiling the changes in Arctic environment and supports world wide research activites of Arctic conditions.

Maintained by Finnish Meteorological Institute


Statistics Finland provides open statistical data for decision-making and research.

Open statistical data are available on various topics for the entire country, by municipality, postal code area and map grid. Also international statistical data are offered, an example of which is Eurostat’s main tables. Statistics Finland uses the open data licence – CC BY 4.0 licence. Data can be used freely in every possible way provided that the source is mentioned.

Maintained by Statistics Finland


SYKE CKAN includes descriptions of spatial datasets and data systems of Finnish Environmental Administration.

Maintained by Finnish Environment Institute


Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) produces open data and information for an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable society.

SYKE’s open data includes versatile information on water resources, surface and ground waters, the Baltic Sea, environmental load and distractions, the valuable natural environment, land cover and the built environment. Data and services are findable and accessible through SYKE’s Open Information portal (https://www.syke.fi/avoindata in Finnish or https://www.syke.fi/opendata in English )

Environmental data is accessible by utilizing web services, spatial datasets and satellite observations, as well as data stored in environmental information systems. Environmental data can also be viewed in various web map applications. The data and information is produced and collected mainly by the organizations of environmental administration, especially Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE) and Centers for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment (ELY Centers).

Maintained by Finnish Environment Institute


Spatial Data Services of Cities in Finland


Helsinki Region Infoshare (HRI) shares open data about Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and Kauniainen.


A great portion of the maps and spatial data of Helsinki has been published as open data.


City of Oulu publishes open data in data portal.


City of Tampere provides open data through various services that can be found from Tampereen kartat web page.


City of Turku shares the open data through Avoindata.fi.


City of Vantaa shares the open data through Helsinki Region Infoshare.


The Helsinki Region Infoshare (HRI) service aims to make regional information quickly and easily accessible to all.


International Spatial Data Services


Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem provides open access to Sentinel satellite imagery and related products.

The Hub includes free access to Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-5 products. The data can be downloaded after an online self-registration.

Maintained by European Space Agency (ESA)


Access, search, visualize and refined earth observation data in the Earth Data Search service by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The service collects data from 12 Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) to support a variety of user communities in science, business and society.

Maintained by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)


The data and maps service of the European Environment Agency (EEA) provides statistical, spatial and indicator information on the environment within EU member countries.

The goal of the service is to support sustainable development within EU. It contains for example Natura areas, CORINE land cover, drainage basins, digital elevation model, data on water and air quality. Web map application created and managed by EEA can be found from here

Maintained by the European Environment Agency (EEA)


European Space Agency’s (ESA) Earth Online service provides satellite imagery and related products on various topics for free and open access.

Information is provided from ESA missions: ERS-1, ERS-2, Envisat, GOCE, SMOS, CryoSat and future Earth Explorer missions. Data from third party missions, for example SPOT, are distributed under specific agreements with the owners. Some data sets require a fast registration and some third party mission datasets are not free.

Maintained by European Space Agency (ESA)


The open data service of the ArcGIS Hub by Esri grants open access to a variety of open data sets and enables sharing of data.

The service provides spatial and non-spatial data from multiple topics and sources.

Maintained by Esri


European Data Portal (EU DP) collects metadata on spatial and non-spatial data on a variety of topics from public data portals across European countries.

Data is not available for download at the site and the user is further directed to the original sources.

Maintained by European Commission with the support of a consortium led by Capgemini, including INTRASOFT International, Fraunhofer Fokus, con terra, Sogeti, the Open Data Institute, Time.Lex and the University of Southampton.


European Organization of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) provides information related to marine areas and the atmosphere.

The service provides near-real time and archived data and products from Meteosat, Metop, Jason-2, and Copernicus Sentinel-3. The product navigator provides metadata from the EUMETSAT and third party actors. The EO Portal requires a registration and all data is not freely available. Data and products from the long-term archive needs to be ordered separately.

Maintained by the European Organization of Meteorological Satellites


The European Union Open Data Portal (EU ODP) provides a single point access to spatial and non-spatial data and metadata from institutions and other bodies of the European Union.

Subjects of the datasets range from transport and environment to education, culture, and sport and international issues.

Maintained by the Publications Office of the European Union


Eurostat provides spatial and non-spatial statistics at the European level that enables comparison between countries and regions, for example in NUTS units.

The Geographic Information System of the COmmission (GISCO) provides spatial statistical information on the European Union, member country and region levels.

Maintained by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union.


GeoNetwork of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provides metadata and access to geospatial databases from FAO and its partners.

In addition to FAO data is provided from for example other UN agencies and NGO’s. The purpose of the GeoNetwork is to improve access and integrated use of spatial data in decision making and sustainable development.

Maintained by FAO GeoNetwork


Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) provides free and open access to biodiversity data.

Data is collected through an international network. The GBIF is also a research infrastructure.

Maintained by the GBIF Secretariat


HELCOME (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission – Helsinki Commission) data services contains metadata and spatial datasets that are made available by HELCOM or are relevant to HELCOM work.

The datasets are grouped to following categories: status assessments, monitoring, pressures and human activities, biodiversity, shipping and background. HELCOM also provides metada data and map services:

Maintained by HELCOM


International Council for Science World Data System (ICSU-WDS) is a prototype data portal that retrieves information from all participating WDS members.

WDS members include for example Pangaea and National Centers for Environmental Information for Geophysics. The prototype is hosted by Pangea.

Maintained by International Council for Science (ICSU)


The Inspire Geoportal offers access to geospatial data on for example ground water, transport networks, population, land use and air temperature in the European Union.

The geoportal contains overviews of the INSPIRE data set availability by country and thematic area. It collects metadata regularly from the officially registered national data catalogues in EU Member states and EFTA countries.

Maintained by the Joint Research Center of the European Union.


The Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission contains geospatial and non-spatial data on a variety of topics produced by the JRC.

The identified science areas are agriculture and food security, economic and monetary union, energy and transport, environment and climate change, health and consumer protection, information society, innovation and growth, nuclear safety and security, safety and security and standards. The JRC Data Catalogue contents are also available at the EU Open Data Portal (EU ODP). API availability depending on the source.

Maintained by the Joint Research Center of the European Union.


National Centers of Environmental Information (NCEI) provides public access to archives of oceanic, atmospheric and geophysical environmental data.

The data is accessed under different data services provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Access to the data depends on the data service.

Maintained by National Centers of Environmental Information (NCEI)


National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) data service provides information on the Earth’s cryosphere, including for example glaciers, ice sheets, permafrost and sea ice.

Includes data analysis and viewing tools. Data is downloaded from the NASA EarthData service.

Maintained by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)


OpenStreetMap is a collaborative project to create a map of the world. The map information is collect and updated by volunteering community members.

The map data can be downloaded for free under the Open Database License.

Maintained by the OpenStreetMap Foundation


EarthExplorer by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides access to satellite images, aerial photographs and cartographic data on multiple thematic topics.

EarthExplorer is used to search, download and order the data products. It provides access to for example the Landsat missions and Modis land data products from NASA. Registration is required to access all of the features.

See an overview of the products (e.g. data and tools) of USGS here.

Maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)


Pangaea is an open access library that collects geospatial data from earth system research.

Most of the data is freely available and can be used under the terms of the license of each dataset. Users can register to submit their own datasets in to the service.

Maintained by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen (MARUM)


The World Environment Situation Room (WESR) is the new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) data, information and knowledge platform. It will enable users to access, visualize, share and download data, information and knowledge services regarding the world environment situation in near real-time.

This platform will be the primary transformational change tool implementing UNEP’s global environmental data strategy, by integrating geospatial, digital libraries, data driven assessments, foresights, global environmental monitoring, communications, citizen science, and support to UN country teams and related Common Country Analysis (CCA).

Maintained by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)


The Protected planet service provides access to up to date information on the marine and terrestrial protected areas.

All data is freely available for download by area, country or the whole world.

Maintained by the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) with support from IUCN and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA)


WorldClim provides a set geospatial data on the global climate.

Data on average monthly climate variables for 1970 to 2000 are provided at a resolution of approximately 1 km2.

Maintained by University of California


The World Bank DataBank provides free and open time series data on a variety of topics on global development.

It collects information from multiple databases and includes advanced functions for selecting and displaying data, performing queries, downloading and creating charts and maps.

Maintained by the World Bank Group


GLOBIL (Global Observation and Biodiversity Information Portal) is WWF’s online ArcGIS toolkit designed to support conservation efforts around the world.

This is the central resource for geospatial data, maps, and apps, supporting global practices and conservation efforts around the world.

Maintained by the World Wildlife Foundation


International Spatial Data and Analysis Services


Google Earth Engine combines a multi-petabyte catalog of satellite imagery and geospatial datasets with planetary-scale analysis capabilities.

Google Earth Engine is a platform for scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets for academic, non-profit, business and government users.The Engine hosts satellite imagery and stores it in a public data archive containing imagery older than 40 years. The images, ingested on a daily basis, are then made available for global-scale data mining. Google Earth Engine also provides APIs and other tools to enable the analysis of large datasets.


The Planetary Computer combines a multi-petabyte catalog of global environmental data with intuitive APIs, a flexible scientific environment that allows users to answer global questions about that data, and applications that put those answers in the hands of conservation stakeholders.

The Microsoft Planetary Computer is a platform that lets users leverage the power of the cloud to accelerate environmental sustainability and Earth science.


SEPAL is a system for earth observation data access, processing and analysis for land monitoring by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.

SEPAL provides comprehensive image processing capabilities and enables the detection of small-scale changes in forests. Users can query and process satellite data quickly and efficiently, tailor their products for local needs, and swiftly produce sophisticated and relevant geospatial analyses. SEPAL allows users to access and process critical historical satellite data as well as newer data from Landsat and Europe’s Copernicus programme.


Forestry TEP is an online platform for researchers, value adders and the public sector to run and develop satellite data based processing services for forestry.

Forestry TEP, operated by VTT, provides ready-made processing services for various forest analyses, benefitting from direct access to global satellite imagery, including complete and up-to-date Copernicus Sentinel repository. Researchers and other users can also develop, use and share/license their own processing services and output products. The platform provides an API for interconnecting with other systems.