Finding data via ArcGIS Hubs around the world

As of 2017, over 10,000 open data sites have been published by governments all over the world using ArcGIS Hub technology, as described here.  I recently wrote about how to use the ArcGIS Hub open data portal to search for and find geospatial data.  This story map is another way to find data, because it lists and provides access to some of these hubs.  The story map shows 1,500 sites created back in 2017, so while only a fraction of the total, the map provides an excellent way to browse and find spatial data.  I used it recently to easily find transportation spatial data in Victoria, Australia, for example, for the purpose of constructing a GIS lesson around.  Update:  I do not have the exact figures for 2020, but there must be multiple tens of thousands of Hub sites in existence by now.

Equally important as accessing the data is that the story map raises the important point that the open spatial data movement is more than just about sharing data.  As we have written about extensively in this blog, the open spatial data movement is a reflection of the transformation that GIS is bringing in the way government, private, and nonprofit organizations work.  This increased collaboration between departments and engagement with citizens is a long-term and oft-difficult effort, but is resulting in increased efficiency, and yes, in data access for all.

Try this story map as a way to discover spatial data, particularly by region, and I think you will find it to be a useful tool.  For more information and background on ArcGIS Hub, see this essay by my colleague Andrew Turner.

Hubs around the world story map.  This map provides a description and access to dozens of data sets served via ArcGIS Hub portal technology.