Natural Earth Raster + Vector Map Data Fourth Edition, Oct. 2009-2012

Making Natural Earth is a collaboration involving many volunteer NACIS members and cartographers around the globe. Nathaniel Vaughn Kelso and Tom Patterson began working on the project in late 2008. Following the path of least resistance, the idea was to re-purpose existing data that we already had as an integrated world dataset at three map scales.

The 1:50 million and 1:110 million-scale data comes from bases developed by Dick Furno and additional staff at The Washington Post for quick turnaround newspaper mapping— the Washington Post Legal Department kindly granted us permission to use these data.

Natural Earth is hereby granted a non-exclusive license to use the data being provided by The Washington Post for the sole purpose of creating a world base map.  The Washington Post makes no claims as to the completeness, accuracy or content of the data, and makes no representation of any kind, including, but not limited to, any warranty as to the accuracy or fitness of the data for a particular use (nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty). No responsibility is assumed by The Washington Post for any claims arising out of Natural Earth’s use of the data.

The kernel for the 1:10 million data was a compilation by Patterson for the “Physical Map of the World,” consisting of coastlines, rivers, lakes, and physical feature labels. Expanding and improving on this foundation has been our chief activity.