DIGITAL SOIL MAP OF THE WORLD AND DERIVED SOIL PROPERTIES ON CD-ROM

The Digital Soil Map of the World (DSMW) CD-ROM is based on the FAO/UNESCO Soil Map of the World, original scale 1:5 000 000. The CD-ROM contains two types of files, DSMW map sheets and derived soil properties files with images derived from the Soil Map of the World.

DSMW MAP SHEETS

The Digital Soil Map of the World consists of ten map sheets: Africa, North America, Central America, Europe, Central and Northeast Asia, Far East, Southeast Asia, and Oceania.

The maps are available in three different formats: one vector format (ARC/INFO Export) and two raster formats called ERDAS and IDRISI (or flat raster) formats.

• The ARC/INFO Export vector files can be read by ARC/INFO software on PC or other platforms that support ARC/INFO such as VAX/VMS and UNIX.
• The ERDAS raster files are in ERDAS version 7.5 GIS format and can be read by ERDAS software version 7.5 or later (e.g. version 8.1, called ERDAS/IMAGINE) on PC or UNIX and by other software that can import ERDAS 7.5 GIS files.
• The IDRISI raster files are in IDRISI IMG format and can be read by IDRISI software on PC and by most GIS and image-processing software that can read flat raster files.

All the maps are in geographic projection, with spherical datum. The coordinates are expressed in degree decimals. The scale of the original map (and the vector-formatted data) is 1:5 000 000. The cell size of the raster data is 5 x 5 arc-minute.

DERIVED SOIL PROPERTIES

The Derived Soil Properties files consist of interpretation programs and related data files. The programs are written in QuickBASIC version 4.5 and can be read using a DOS or OS/2 operating system.

• Included are programs that interpret the maps in terms of agronomic and environmental parameters such as pH, organic carbon content, C/N ratio, clay mineralogy, soil depth, soil and terrain suitability for specific crop production, soil moisture storage capacity and soil drainage class. The output is given in the form of maps and data files which can be stored for later retrieval.
• Special country analyses can be made for specific soil inventories, problem soils and fertility capability classification for every country in the world. The output is in tabular form.
• Also included are maps of classification units of the World Soil Reference Base units and topsoil distribution, which can facilitate the teaching of soil science.
• In addition there is a soil database developed specifically for environmental studies on a global scale, which includes soil moisture storage capacity, soil drainage class and effective soil depth.

For any technical information, please contact

Freddy Nachtergaele
Land and Water Development Division
FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy
Freddy Nachtergaele@fao.org

Sales and Marketing Group
Information Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla,
00100 Rome, Italy
Fax : +39 06 5705 3360
Publications-sales@fao.org

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