Layout of sample survey units in Pan-Third Polar region (2018)

1) The data is the layout of sample survey units in 65 countries of Pan-Third Polar region and western China. 2)Sample survey units were set in the pan-third pole region (70 ⁰N-10 ⁰S, 180 ⁰E-180 ⁰ W) . No samplings points were selected in the region with latitude >70 ⁰. In the region wiht latitude of 60 ⁰ -70 ⁰ , sample survey units were selected in cells of 0.5 ⁰ latitude ×1 ⁰ Longitude (about 55km×55km-55km×38km). In the area with latitude of 40⁰-60⁰, sample survey units were selected in cells of 0.5 ⁰ latitude×0.75 ⁰ longitude (about 55km×63km-55km×42km). In the area with latitude <40⁰, sample survey units were selected in cells of 0.5 ⁰ latitude × 0.5 ⁰ longitude. In the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, sample survey units were selected in cells of 0.25 ⁰ latitude × 0.25 ⁰ longitude. Thesample survey units deployed in the first national water conservancy survey for soil and water conservation were used in current project in five provinces including Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan in western China. The total number of sample survey units is 29, 651, of which, 4052 are in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, 8771 in the western China, and 16, 828 in countries outside of China. 3) The selected sample survey units is well distributed and the data quality is good.4) the layout map of sample survey units is of great significance for the study of soil erosion in Pan third polar region, and it is also crucial for the implementation of the development policy of the area along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.