North American Environmental Atlas

Mapping Our Shared Environment

The North American Environmental Atlas combines and harmonizes geospatial data from Canada, Mexico and the United States to allow for a continental and regional perspective on environmental issues that cross boundaries. It is a unique tool to analyze and raise awareness of our shared environment and ecosystems across the continent, to demonstrate their value, and to help us see what needs to be done to protect them.

The dozens of map layers of the Atlas are unique in that they harmonize geographic information across North America’s political boundaries. By comparing these map layers, we can better understand and quantify critical trends and interrelationships at the North American level.

Explore this interactive story for a better understanding of how the Atlas can be useful to you.

Explore more than one thousand publications and articles that utilized data from the North American Environmental Atlas.

North American Environmental Atlas

Map Files

Map of North American Landfills

Pollutants

Landfills

The North American Landfills dataset represents the approximate location of known landfills and dumpsites (open...

2024

Major Roads 2020

Transportation

North American Roads, 2020

As part of the North American Environmental Atlas, this reference dataset displays the roads network...

2024

Atlas map

Ecoregions, Land Cover

Elevation, 2023

The 250m elevation map of North America illustrates the region's terrain in relation to mean...

2023

CEC Atlas Map

Humans

Political Boundaries, 2021

This reference map from the North American Environmental Atlas depicts political entities in North America,...

2022

CEC Atlas Map

Humans

Population Density, 2020

This map shows the population density of North America for the year 2020 in number...

2022

CEC Atlas Map

Ecoregions

North American Forests, 2022

The North American Forest map shows the distribution of eighteen different primary ecological zones pertaining...

2022

Tools

Publications

GIS Updates

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Contact

Questions about the North American Environmental Atlas? Contact:

Dominique Croteau
Specialist, Geospatial and Environmental Information
(514) 350-4307