Download Gadm Data Version — 36 Work
url = "https://geodata.ucdavis.edu/gadm/gadm3.6/shp/gadm36_IDN_shp.zip" response = requests.get(url) with open("gadm36_IDN_shp.zip", "wb") as f: f.write(response.content)
with zipfile.ZipFile("gadm36_IDN_shp.zip", "r") as zip_ref: zip_ref.extractall("gadm_data/")
Note: GADM does not provide a public API; direct file download is required.
Attributes commonly included:
gdf_level0 = gpd.read_file("gadm36_IDN.gpkg", layer="level0") gdf_level1 = gpd.read_file("gadm36_IDN.gpkg", layer="level1")
Downloading and working with GADM version 3.6 is straightforward once you know where to find the legacy files and how to handle common format quirks. By following this guide – verifying integrity, choosing GeoPackage, and correctly loading the data – you can reliably use GADM v3.6 for mapping, spatial analysis, and research. The data remains a gold standard for administrative boundaries, especially in environments where newer GADM versions (4.x) break backward compatibility.
If you encounter a problem not covered here, check the gadm36 tag on Stack Overflow or the R-sig-geo mailing list – the user community for v3.6 is still very active.
Guide to Downloading and Using GADM Data Version 3.6 GADM (Global Administrative Areas) is a high-resolution database of country administrative boundaries used widely in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). While version 4.1 is the latest, Version 3.6 remains a critical "workhorse" version for many researchers and developers who require compatibility with legacy projects or specific derived datasets. Where to Download GADM 3.6 Data
You can access the GADM 3.6 data directly from the official GADM Old Versions page.
Download by Country (Recommended): This is the most efficient way to get data if you only need a specific region. You can select from over 200 countries on the Country Download page. download gadm data version 36 work
Whole World Download: For global analysis, you can download the entire world as a single database on the World Download page. Note that these are very large files. Available Data Formats
Version 3.6 supports several standard spatial data formats to ensure it works across different software environments:
GeoPackage (.gpkg): Now the standard format for GADM. It is a single file that can contain multiple layers and is compatible with QGIS and ArcGIS.
Shapefile (.shp): A classic format consisting of at least four files (.shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj). It is compatible with almost all GIS software.
KMZ (.kmz): Ideal for use in Google Earth to visualize boundaries quickly.
R (SpatialPolygonsDataFrame): For data scientists, GADM provides .rds files that can be read directly into R using the readRDS() function. Understanding Administrative Levels
GADM data is organized by levels of subdivision, which allows you to "work" at the specific scale your project requires: Download GADM data (version 3.6)
You can download GADM version 3.6 data directly from the official GADM Old Versions page. While version 4.1 is the current standard, version 3.6 remains widely used for consistency in longitudinal research or specific project requirements. How to Access and Download GADM 3.6 GADM provides two primary ways to access version 3.6 data:
Download by Country (Recommended): This is the most efficient method for localized projects. You can select a specific nation and download its administrative boundaries in formats like Shapefile, GeoPackage, KMZ, or R (RDS). Visit the GADM 3.6 Country Download page. url = "https://geodata
Download for the Entire World: For global analysis, you can download the entire world database. Note that these are very large files.
Visit the GADM 3.6 World Download page to find the GeoPackage or Shapefile options. Alternative Methods for Developers
If you are working within a specific GIS environment, you can use these tools to automate the process:
R Users: Use the geodata package (the successor to raster::getData) to fetch administrative boundaries directly into your environment.
Python Users: The gadm library on PyPI allows you to download and visualize shape data within Jupyter Notebooks using Folium.
QGIS Users: The gadm_loader plugin can be installed via ZIP to search and add GADM layers directly to your map canvas. Key Version 3.6 Details
License: The data is free for academic and non-commercial use. Redistribution or commercial use requires prior permission.
Administrative Levels: Data ranges from Level 0 (country boundaries) to Level 5 (smallest administrative units), depending on the country.
Format: Version 3.6 introduced GeoPackage as the standard format, though Shapefiles and RDS remain available. To help you get the right files, Download GADM data Note: GADM does not provide a public API;
GADM (Global Administrative Areas) version 3.6 is a comprehensive spatial database providing administrative boundaries for all countries and their subdivisions. While the current release is version 4.1, version 3.6 remains widely used and accessible through the GADM Old Versions page. How to Download GADM v3.6 You can retrieve the data in two primary ways:
Download by Country (Recommended): Best for users who only need specific regions. Navigate to the GADM v3.6 Country Download page. Select your desired country from the alphabetical list.
Choose your preferred file format (e.g., Shapefile, GeoPackage, or KMZ).
Download for the Entire World: Suitable for global analysis but results in very large files. Visit the GADM v3.6 World Download page.
Files are available as a single GeoPackage (standard format) or as separate layers for each level of subdivision (0 to 5). Available Formats
GADM version 3.6 provides several formats to ensure compatibility with different software: Download GADM data (version 3.6)
GADM (Database of Global Administrative Areas) version 3.6 is a spatial database of global administrative boundaries (countries, regions, districts). It is widely used for GIS analysis, mapping, and spatial statistics.
| Problem | Solution |
|---------|----------|
| Download fails | Use a download manager or mirror link |
| File corrupt | Check file size against website; re-download |
| Encoding issues in names | Use encoding='utf-8' in reading functions |
| Memory errors | Load country-level data, not world file |