30 arc-second DEM for Africa

PLEASE NOTE: This is an updated release of the Africa 30 arc second DEM. Comments from users of this data set are welcome. Please contact Dean Gesch ([e-mail]) or Sue Jenson ([e-mail]).

A digital elevation model (DEM) consists of a sampled array of elevations for ground positions that are normally spaced at regular intervals. To meet the needs of the geospatial data user community for regional and continental scale elevation data, the staff at the U.S. Geological Survey's EROS Data Center (EDC) are developing DEM's at a horizontal grid spacing of 30 arc seconds (approximately 1 kilometer). These data are being made available to the public via electronic distribution and hard media. As of July, 1996 data are available for Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, and North America. Data sets for South America, Australia, New Zealand, the islands of southeast Asia, and Greenland are under development and are scheduled for release before the end of 1996.