The official blog for Google Maps
Google Earth Pro is now free
January 30, 2015
Over the last 10 years, businesses, scientists and hobbyists from all over the world have been using
Google Earth Pro
for everything from planning hikes to placing solar panels on rooftops. Google Earth Pro has all the easy-to-use features and detailed imagery of Google Earth, along with advanced tools that help you measure 3D buildings, print high-resolution images for presentations or reports, and record HD movies of your virtual flights around the world.
Starting today, even more people will be able to access Google Earth Pro: we're making it available for free. To see what Earth Pro can do for you—or to just have fun flying around the world—
grab a free key
and
download Earth Pro today
. If you're an existing user, your key will continue to work with no changes required.
Plan in 3D using Google Earth Pro
Whether you're planning a new office building or a trip to the mountains, check out Google Earth Pro and see how easy it is to visualize your world.
Posted by Stafford Marquardt, Product Manager, Google Earth Pro
Explore the world through Google Earth for Android with fast, accurate maps
October 22, 2014
Whether you’re sailing down the Mississippi River or trekking through the Swiss Alps, Google Earth can inspire your next adventure. To help power your digital travels,
Google Earth for Android
is getting an update over the next week—with an enhanced 3D experience, quicker updates to the map, and an easier way to view your KML files in Earth.
Starting today, you’ll see faster, smoother, and crisper transitions as you’re zooming into your dream destination in Google Earth. Thanks to a new 3D rendering technology—the first major 3D overhaul since Earth launched more than 10 years ago—sharper views of mountains and cities are just a virtual skydive away.
Built from scratch, our new 3D technology gives you sharper views in Google Earth for Android
As you’re flying around Paris or looking for things to do in Tokyo, you can rest assured knowing that the globe in your pocket will show you the freshest information, with Google Earth now getting the same updates as Google Maps. Roads and labels have gotten a visual refresh as well, making Earth’s styling easier on the eyes for you virtual explorers.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Roads and labels get a refresh in the newest version of Earth
And if you’ve created your own map for Google Earth—whether you’re a teacher preparing a history lesson, a researcher tracking changes in the environment, or just a geospatial enthusiast—you’ll now be able to open your KML files from Google Drive directly in the Earth app, so you can view it on the go.
Save a few clicks when viewing your KML files on the go
To discover the world with these updates in hand, head to the Play Store and download
Google Earth for Android
. Stay tuned for more 3D updates in the coming months!
Posted by Ashwin Limaye, Product Manager, Google Earth
Monitoring the World's Forests with Global Forest Watch
February 20, 2014
By the time we find out about deforestation, it’s usually too late to take action.
Scientists have been studying forests for centuries, chronicling the vital importance of these ecosystems for human society. But most of us still lack timely and reliable information about where, when, and why forests are disappearing.
This is about to change with the launch of
Global Forest Watch
—an online forest monitoring system created by the World Resources Institute, Google and a group of more than 40 partners. Global Forest Watch uses technologies including
Google Earth Engine
and
Google Maps Engine
to map the world’s forests with satellite imagery, detect changes in forest cover in near-real-time, and make this information freely available to anyone with Internet access.
By accessing the most current and reliable information, everyone can learn what’s happening in forests around the world. Now that we have the ability to peer into forests, a number of telling stories are beginning to emerge.
Global forest loss far exceeds forest gain
Global forest loss far exceeds forest gain
Legend: Red = tree cover loss • Blue= Tree cover gain
According to data from the University of Maryland and Google, the world lost more than 500 million acres of forest between 2000 and 2012. That’s the equivalent of losing 50 soccer fields’ worth of forests every minute of every day for the past 13 years! By contrast, only 0.8 million km2 have regrown, been planted, or restored during the same period.
The United States’ most heavily forested region is made up of production forests
The United States’ most heavily forested region is made up of production forests
Legend: Pink = tree cover loss • Blue= Tree cover gain
The Southern United States is home to the nation’s most heavily forested region, making up 29 percent of the total U.S. forest land. Interestingly, the majority of this region is “production forests.” The mosaic of loss (pink) and gain (blue) in the above map shows how forests throughout this region are used as crops – grown and harvested in five-year cycles to produce timber or wood pulp for paper production.
This practice of “intensive forestry” is used all over the world to provide valuable commodities and bolster regional and national economies. WRI
analysis
suggests that if managers of production forests embrace a “
multiple ecosystem services strategy
”, they will be able to generate additional benefits such as biodiversity, carbon storage, and water filtration.
Forests are protected in Brazil’s indigenous territories
Forests are protected in Brazil’s indigenous territories
Legend: Pink = tree cover loss • Dark green= forest • Light green = Degraded land or pastures
The traditional territory of Brazil's Surui tribe is an island of green surrounded by lands that have been significantly degraded and deforested over the past 10+ years. Indigenous communities often rely on forests for their livelihoods and cultural heritage and therefore have a strong incentive to manage forests sustainably. However, many indigenous communities struggle to protect their lands against encroachment by illegal loggers, which may be seen in Global Forest Watch using annual data from the University of Maryland and Google, or monthly alerts from
Imazon
, a Brazilian NGO and GFW partner.
Make Your Own Forest Map
Previously, the data required to make these maps was difficult to obtain and interpret, and most people lacked the resources necessary to access, view, and analyze the the information. With Global Forest Watch, this data is now open to anyone with Internet access. We encourage you to visit Global Forest Watch and
make your own forest map
. There are many stories to tell about what is happening to forests around the world—and your stories can lead to action to protect these special and threatened places. What story will you tell?
For more information, check out
9 Maps That Explain the World's Forests
.
Posted by Crystal Davis, Director of Global Forest Watch, the World Resources Institute, and Dave Thau, Developer Advocate, Google Earth Engine
Updated on February 24, 2014 to include link to World Resources Institute blog post.
Santa’s sleigh is ready for lift-off
December 24, 2013
The countdown is over. Santa and his elves have been preparing around the clock for the big day, opening up new pieces of
Santa’s Village
throughout the month. Santa’s been
skydiving
, the elves
catapulted presents
, and Santa even sent
custom voice messages
to friends and family.
The elves are now reporting that the sleigh is ready for takeoff!
Join Santa as he delivers presents around the globe. Whether you’re in Sydney or South Dakota, hop in the driver’s seat by checking out
Santa’s Dash(er) Board
. See where Santa’s been, where he’s going, and his real-time jolly status ("mmm, those cookies were delicious!”). Don’t forget to check out the photos and local info for places he visits on the route.
For the next 24 hours, tune in on your desktop, tablet, or phone to the
Santa Tracker
website. Still worried you’ll miss a minute of Santa’s big day? The developer elves have been hard at work so you can:
Stay updated on Santa’s real-time location with the
Santa Tracker app for Android
Light up your TV by
casting from the Android app
Keep tabs on Santa across the web with the
Santa Tracker Chrome extension
View the journey in 3D in the Tour Guide feature of
Google Earth
and
Google Earth mobile
And, follow Google Maps on
Google+
,
Facebook
and
Twitter
to get up-to-the-minute details on Santa’s journey around the world.
With more than 300,000 kilometers to go, Santa’s got a lot of the map to cover. So set out those cookies and a glass of milk and get ready to
#tracksanta
!
Brian McClendon, Vice President, Google Maps
From where you are to where you want to go
November 6, 2013
As you gear up for the holidays, you can easily plan your vacation with the
new Google Maps
for desktop. With the latest updates, Earth Tours will take you on a virtual trip through cities and natural wonders in full 3D, while Street View imagery and real time traffic incidents will help to ensure smooth travels.
Explore the world with Pegman
Street View’s comprehensive imagery has always been a great way to preview your destination before arriving, but it's equally helpful when deciding where you want to go. Thanks to your feedback, we’ve made it easier to find where Street View is available, so you can explore locations in
over 50 countries
around the globe.
To discover a world of imagery at your fingertips, look no further than Pegman – your guide through Street View – who you can find in the lower right corner of the screen. Click on Pegman, and areas with Street View imagery will light up in blue. For a street-level preview, hover over any highlighted road, then click to dive into that location.
To see a preview before you go, click on the highlighted map
As you zoom in, you’ll also see blue circles indicating where you can find user-uploaded photos, including Photo Spheres – immersive, 360º panoramas taken from
land
,
air
, and
sea
. Click on a yellow circle to see inside restaurants, museums, and
more
. With these features, you can explore an increasing variety of locations, inside and out.
And for the
Pegman
fans out there, you know he's a globetrotter. Jump over to
Google+
now to submit your idea for his next adventure!
New blue and yellow circles show you where to find user-uploaded images and indoor photos
Get a bird’s-eye view with Earth Tours
Explore beautiful, 3D imagery of buildings and terrain for thousands of locations from above with Earth Tours available right in your browser.* Wherever you see the Earth Tour icon, you can click, sit back, and get a virtual tour from a soaring angle. Dive into
Boston
or circle the
Alps
.
*Available on
WebGL-enabled browsers
, like Chrome.
Get a 3D experience wherever you see the Earth Tour icon
Navigate the roads with confidence
Maneuvering an unfamiliar route can be tricky when turns, exits, or tolls appear without warning. With the new step-by-step preview, you can see a street-level snapshot of each decision point to know exactly where you’re going and what to expect. Just click “Preview steps” from the directions card and advance through for a quick study of your trip, including transfers for transit.
Click on the thumbnail in the directions preview for a closer look
Save time commuting and navigate the roads accurately with traffic incident reports – available on desktop and
mobile
. When you search for driving directions, you’ll now see congestion along the route and real time incidents on the map, including data reported by
Waze
.
Know the road conditions before you leave
These tools are designed to help you explore and effectively navigate your world. If you’ve
opted into
the new Google Maps preview, these features will start rolling out today – and in the coming weeks, more of you will begin to see the new Maps experience, which you can tour below.
Posted by Kelvin Ho, Product Manager, Google Maps
A long way home with help from Google Earth
October 15, 2013
[Cross posted from the
Official Google Blog
]
In 1986, a five-year-old boy named Saroo Munshi Khan accidentally fell asleep on a stationary train in India. He woke up hours later, alone and in an unfamiliar place. This fateful train ride ripped Saroo away from his home and family. For more than a quarter century, he searched for them before finding his way back home with the help of
Google Earth
.
This incredible true story spans decades, miles and continents. If it weren’t for hope, determination and technology, Saroo would have remained forever lost.
On that day 27 years ago, Saroo and his 14-year-old brother, Guddu, were searching a train station for change to help support their family. Guddu wandered beyond the station and Saroo fell asleep on a stationary train waiting for his brother’s return. When he woke up, the train had left the station, separating Saroo from his home and family.
The train Saroo boarded was in
Berhanpur, India
, and he ended up 1,500 kilometers away, in Calcutta. For weeks, he survived on the streets. Eventually, he was taken into an orphanage, where he was adopted by the Brierleys, an Australian family. He moved across an ocean to the town of
Hobart
in Tasmania. At six years old, Saroo had a new family, home, country and name. Though Saroo Munshi Khan couldn’t find his home, Saroo Brierley never gave up the search.
In 2011, using vague memories and Google Earth imagery, Saroo identified his home town. Using the ruler feature in Google Earth, he mapped out a search radius by making an educated guess about how far he traveled by train. After countless hours of scouring this area of Google Earth imagery, he came upon a proverbial needle in a haystack. Saroo spotted one vague landmark that led him to the next, helping him unlock a five-year-old child’s memories. He eventually spotted a neighborhood, street and tin roof that looked familiar.
In Saroo's words, "It was just like being Superman. You are able to go over and take a photo mentally and ask, 'Does this match?' And when you say, 'No,' you keep on going and going and going."
In 2012, Saroo embarked on a trip from Australia back to Khandwa, India. Once he arrived, he shared his story with locals, who helped him find his way back home to his mother and surviving brother and sister. Twenty-six years after accidentally leaving home, he finally found his way back.
The Google Earth imagery that brought Saroo home.
Maps can affect our lives in many ways, big and small—but hopefully they always help us find our way. You can now read Saroo’s book, “
A Long Way Home
,” for a detailed account of his journey of survival and triumph against incredible odds. It celebrates the importance of never letting go of what drives the human spirit—hope.
Posted by Peter Birch, Google Earth Product Manager
Google Earth 7.1 for Android and iOS, now with Street View
June 26, 2013
Whether you're on foot looking for the best sushi place in a new neighborhood or you'd like to do some virtual archaeology around Pompeii, we're all explorers of the world around us in our own way. Your definition of adventure is unique, so we like to offer several ways to explore the world. With the latest edition of Google Earth for
Android
or
iOS
– now available in more than 100 countries – your virtual adventures will be even more amazing and immersive.
Chicago skyline in 3D in the new interface
Have you ever wanted to take a tour of Stonehenge or retrace the steps of Christopher Columbus? With the addition of Street View to Google Earth for mobile devices, you can explore many sites from street level right on your mobile device. And with the new streamlined interface, a simple click of the Earth logo in top left will give you quick access to more information through layers like Panoramio Photos and Wikipedia. Just in case you decide to visit these places yourself, Google Earth's improved directions enable you to visualize step-by-step transit, walking and biking directions in full 3D.
Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England in Street View
Also with this release, we're making Google Earth for mobile available in more than 100 countries worldwide, so you can start their virtual journey in Google Earth from almost anywhere on Earth. To unleash your inner explorer, check out your local
Google Play store
or
iTunes
to download the latest version of Earth for Android and iOS.
Posted by Haris Ramic, Google Earth product manager
Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth
June 26, 2013
To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), we're unveiling new satellite imagery for all Google mapping products today. This stunning new imagery of the earth from space virtually eliminates clouds, includes refreshed imagery for regions of the world where high-resolution imagery is not yet available, and offers a more comprehensive and accurate view of the texture of our planet's landscape.
The new, even more beautiful global view in Maps and Earth.
In 2002 NASA released the
Blue Marble
, a global image of the earth with a resolution of one kilometer per pixel, based on data from NASA’s MODIS instrument. Updated in 2005 to twice the resolution, it has remained the canonical globally-uniform picture of the earth for over a decade.
With the Blue Marble as inspiration, we used
Google Earth Engine
technology to mine hundreds of terabytes of data from the USGS’s and NASA’s
Landsat 7
satellite. The result is a seamless, globally-consistent image of the entire planet with a resolution of 15 meters per pixel, far finer than is possible with MODIS data alone.
To get a feel for the difference, here’s a comparison of the Grand Canyon, first from the Blue Marble Next Generation (courtesy NASA’s Earth Observatory), and then in our new Landsat-based imagery.
The Grand Canyon, as seen by MODIS and by Landsat 7.
The Landsat 7 satellite suffered a hardware failure early in its life that introduced striped artifacts into all of its images. By analyzing a large number of images we were able to virtually eliminate these stripes, as well as clouds and other atmospheric effects. The process was very similar to how we produced the
global time-lapse imagery of the earth
that we released last month.
Castellón, Spain: One example Landsat 7 image, and the final combined image.
The resulting 800,000 megapixel global image is so big that if you wanted to print it at a standard resolution of 300 dots per inch you would need a piece of paper the size of a city block!
Northwestern South America: before and after.
Mining data from a large number of Landsat images of each area allowed us to reconstruct cloud-free imagery even in tropical regions that are always at least partly cloudy.
Central Papua, Indonesia: before and after.
We prioritized recent data when it was available, so this update also includes refreshed imagery in many regions of the world, especially in areas where high-resolution imagery is not available, including parts of Russia, Indonesia, and central Africa.
Agricultural expansion in Saudi Arabia: before and after.
This new picture of the earth also reveals the texture of the landscape with greater clarity than ever before.
Continuing deforestation in Brazil: before and after.
We're proud of the progress we have made, but there is always room to keep improving. For example, although we have tried to minimize the impact of the stripe artifacts in the Landsat 7 images, they are still visible in some areas. There is more good news though: the new Landsat 8 satellite, launched earlier this year, promises to capture even more beautiful and up-to-date imagery in the months and years ahead.
Mongolia and surrounds, before and after.
You can see our new satellite imagery by going to Google Maps and turning on satellite view, or by launching Google Earth, and zooming out. Have fun exploring!
Posted by Matt Hancher, Tech Lead, Google Earth Engine
A picture of Earth through time
May 9, 2013
(Cross posted on
Official Google Blog
)
Today, we're making it possible for you to go back in time and get a stunning historical perspective on the changes to the Earth’s surface over time. Working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), NASA and TIME, we're releasing more than a quarter-century of images of Earth taken from space, compiled for the first time into an interactive time-lapse experience. We believe this is the most comprehensive picture of our changing planet ever made available to the public.
Built from millions of satellite images and trillions of pixels, you can explore this global, zoomable time-lapse map as part of TIME's new
Timelapse
project. View stunning phenomena such as the sprouting of Dubai’s artificial Palm Islands, the retreat of Alaska’s Columbia Glacier, the deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon and urban growth in Las Vegas from 1984 to 2012:
Feel free to share these GIFs!
More examples can be found on Google+
.
The images were collected as part of an ongoing joint mission between the USGS and NASA called
Landsat
. Their satellites have been observing earth from space since the 1970s—with all of the images sent back to Earth and archived on USGS tape drives that look something like this
example
(courtesy of the USGS).
We started working with the USGS in 2009 to make this historic archive of earth imagery available online. Using
Google Earth Engine
technology, we sifted through 2,068,467 images—a total of 909 terabytes of data—to find the highest-quality pixels (e.g., those without clouds), for every year since 1984 and for every spot on Earth. We then compiled these into enormous planetary images, 1.78 terapixels each, one for each year.
As the final step, we worked with the CREATE Lab at Carnegie Mellon University, recipients of a
Google Focused Research Award
, to convert these annual Earth images into a seamless, browsable HTML5 animation. Check it out on the Google’s
Timelapse
website.
Much like the
iconic image of Earth from the Apollo 17 mission
—which had a profound effect on many of us—this time-lapse map is not only fascinating to explore, but we also hope it can inform the global community’s thinking about how we live on our planet and the policies that will guide us in the future. A special thanks to all our partners who helped us to make this happen.
Posted by Rebecca Moore, Engineering Manager, Google Earth Engine & Earth Outreach
Mapping creates jobs and drives global economic growth
January 30, 2013
(Cross posted to
Official Google Blog
)
Twenty years ago, we used paper maps and printed guides to help us navigate the world. Today, the most advanced digital mapping technologies—satellite imagery, GPS devices, location data and of course
Google Maps
—are much more accessible. This sea change in mapping technology is improving our lives and helping businesses realize untold efficiencies.
The transformation of the maps we use everyday is driven by a growing industry that creates jobs and economic growth globally. To present a clearer picture of the importance of the geo services industry, we commissioned studies from
Boston Consulting Group
(BCG) and
Oxera
. What we found is that maps make a big economic splash around the world.
In summary, the global geo services industry is valued at up to $270 billion per year and pays out $90 billion in wages. In the U.S., it employs more than 500,000 people and is worth $73 billion. The infographic below illustrates some examples of the many benefits of maps, whether it’s improving agriculture irrigation systems or helping emergency response teams save lives.
Click the image for a larger version
1.1 billion hours of travel time saved each year? That’s a lot of time. Also, consider
UPS
, which uses map technology to optimize delivery routes—saving 5.3 million miles and more than 650,000 gallons of fuel in 2011. And every eight seconds, a user hails a taxi with
Hailo
, which used maps and GPS to deliver more than 1 million journeys in London alone last year. Finally,
Zipcar
uses maps to connect more than 760,000 customers to a growing fleet of cars in locations around the world.
Because maps are such an integral part of how we live and do business, the list of examples goes on and on. That’s why it’s important we all understand the need to invest in the geo services industry so it continues to grow and drive the global economy. Investments can come from the public and private sectors in many forms—product innovation, support of open data policies, more geography education programs in schools and more.
We’re proud of the contributions that
Google Maps
and
Earth
, the
Google Maps APIs
and our
Enterprise solutions
have made to the geo services industry and to making maps more widely available, but there’s a long way to go. To learn more about the impact of the maps industry, see
the full reports
.
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP Google Geo
Google + Audi: Enhancing Navigation
January 22, 2013
(Cross posted from the
Google Enterprise Blog
)
Editors Note: Our guest blogger is Anupam (Pom) Malhotra, Senior Manager, Connected Vehicle, Audi of America. With a company-wide focus on the latest in-car technologies, Pom talks about teaming up with Google to help drivers enhance the driving experience with Audi connect™.
"Progress through technology" is at the core of every Audi vehicle. For a driver, in-car technology brings several benefits, including safety, access to local map content and more efficient ways to reach a destination. When developing Audi connect™, we wanted to present our drivers with something that was functional, yet elegant. We were able to deliver this by enhancing our navigation system
with Google Maps and Google Earth
.
By integrating Google features, we are creating a familiar user experience for our drivers, who already use
Google Maps
on their computers, smartphones and tablets. As a result, Audi connect makes it easy for drivers to search for a local point of interest or verify a route from
Google Earth
or
Street View
. With real-life images, combined with Google local search and voice search, Audi connect allows drivers and their passengers to safely explore and discover local destinations.
The main thing drivers want to do, of course, is get to their destination. But with Audi connect
now enhanced by Google Maps and Earth features
, we think our drivers will enjoy the journey a whole lot more.
Posted by Anupam (Pom) Malhotra, Senior Manager, Connected Vehicle, Audi of America
Count down to Christmas Eve with Google Santa Tracker
December 18, 2012
(Cross posted on the
Official Google Blog
)
While millions of people eagerly await Christmas Day, Santa and his elves are keeping busy at the
North Pole
. They’re preparing presents, tuning up the sleigh, feeding the reindeer and, of course, checking the list (twice!) before they take flight on their trip around the world.
While we’ve been tracking Santa since 2004 with Google Earth, this year a team of dedicated
Google Maps
engineers built a new route algorithm to chart Santa’s journey around the world on Christmas Eve. On his sleigh, arguably the fastest airborne vehicle in the world, Santa whips from city to city delivering presents to millions of homes. You’ll be able to follow him on Google Maps and Google Earth, and get his stats starting at 2:00 a.m. PST Christmas Eve at
google.com/santatracker
.
Simulating Santa's path across the world—see it live Dec 24
In addition, with some help from developer elves, we’ve built a few other tools to help you track Santa from wherever you may be. Add the new
Chrome extension
or download the
Android app
to keep up with Santa from your smartphone or tablet. And to get the latest updates on his trip, follow Google Maps on
Google+
,
Facebook
and
Twitter
.
Get a dashboard view of Santa's journey on Google Maps
The Google Santa Tracker will launch on December 24, but the countdown to the journey starts now! Visit
Santa’s Village
today to watch the countdown clock and join the elves and reindeer in their preparations. You can even ask
Santa to call a friend or family member
.
We hope you enjoy tracking Santa with us this year. And on behalf of everyone at Google—happy holidays!
Posted by Brian McClendon, VP of Google Maps and Google Earth
Imagery Update: Tour sites around the world with high-resolution imagery
November 16, 2012
As part of our ongoing commitment to provide you with comprehensive and accurate maps, we
continue to steadily release
new and updated imagery of places around the world as it becomes available. Here, we’ll take you on a short tour of some of our favorite locations that were included in the most recently published batch of aerial, satellite and 45-degree imagery.
New high resolution aerial and satellite imagery:
The aerial and satellite imagery in
Google Maps
and
Google Earth
has now been updated for 164 cities and 108 countries/regions. Below are a few highlights from Washington state and Austria.
The Emerald City is bucking its nickname to celebrate the Space Needle’s
50th anniversary
. Check out the image below, where you can see Seattle’s iconic landmark repainted to it’s original “Galaxy Orange” color scheme.
Space Needle, Seattle
From towering above the clouds in Seattle to a celebration of rooftop art in Austria, below we find an art installation where visitors are encouraged to ascend to the top of a rooftop and travel a set of wooden bridges to see the city from a new perspective.
Bridges in the Sky, Linz, Austria
New 45° imagery available for 60 cities:
Our collection of 45° imagery in
Google Maps
has also recently expanded to include 40 more U.S. cities and 20 more international cities, including Luxembourg and Romania for the first time. Below are some fantastic sites from Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Though one of the smallest countries in the world by size, this European Grand Duchy plays an important role in politics because it’s the site of several institutions and agencies of the European Union. Below is one of the administrative and conference buildings.
Centre de Conférence, Luxembourg - View Larger Map
Settlements near the Swiss pre-alpine town of Thun can be dated back as far as Neolithic times around 2500 B.C. The city’s name derives from the Celtic term “Dunum” which translates to “fortified city.” Below is Thun Castle, which was erected by the Zaehringer dynasty around 1190 A.D. and which serves as the home of the district court of the Bernese Oberland until 2009.
Thun Castle, Switzerland - View Larger Map
Below is the full list of places where we’ve recently shared new or updated imagery. Enjoy!
Cities with new high resolution 45° imagery:
United States: Baltimore, MD; Bangor, ME; Battle Creek, MI; Bay City, MI; Bowling Green, KY; Burbank, WA; Burlington, VT; Charleston, WV; Cheyenne, WY; Decatur, IL; Duluth, MN; Eau Claire, WI; Fargo, ND; Farmington Hills, MI; Fort Wayne, IN; Hagerstown, MD; Holland, MI; Huntington, WV; Iowa City, IA; Kalamazoo, MI; Kelso, WA; Kenosha, WI; La Crosse, WI; Lancaster, CA; Lawrence, MA; Lewiston, ME; Lima, OH; Loveland, OH; Madison, WI; Mansfield, OH; Morgantown, WV; Portland, ME; Queensbury, NY; Rockford, IL; St. Cloud, MN; Toledo, OH; Urbana, OH; Waterloo, IA; Wausau, WI; Youngstown, OH.
International: Arcachon, FR; Brno, CZ; Charleroi, BE; Ferrara, IT; Fribourg, CH; Gijon, ES; Leeds/Huddersfield, UK; Leipzig, DE; Luxembourg, LU; Nantes, FR; Oviedo, ES; Parma, IT; Perugia, IT; Regina, CA; Reims, FR; Rouen, FR; Saskatoon, CA; Siena, IT; Sighisoara, RO; Thun, CH.
Areas with new high resolution aerial updates:
United States: Seattle WA, Mt Rainier WA, Mt St Helens WA, Ritzville WA, Chewalah WA, Pomeroy WA, Astoria OR, Portland OR, Eugene OR, Medford OR, Drewsey OR, Silver Lake OR, Sprague River OR, Pendleton OR, Bend OR, Mt Hood OR, Sandpoint ID, Idaho Falls ID, Redway CA, Redding CA, Bishop CA, Hayfork CA, Honeylake CA, Fresno CA, San Luis Obispo CA, Joshua Tree CA, Flagstaff AZ, Holbrook AZ, Arches UT, Cherry Creek NV, Hayden NM, Winnemucca NM, Wellington NV, Libby MT, Whitefish MT, Butler MT, Glacier MT, Great Falls MT, Missoula MT, Three Forks MT, Harlem MT, Lewiston MT, Montrose CO, Lamar CO, Ft Collins CO, Limon CO, Crested Butte CO, Sheridan Lake CO, Sheridan WY, Laramie WY, Bryce Canyon UT, Pueblo Peintado NM, San Patricio NM, Petersburg ND, North Platte ND, Medina ND, Ellendale ND, Devils Lake ND, Eagle Butte SD, Gettysburg SD, Swan Creek SD, Mitchell SD, Miller SD, Edgemont SD, Spooner WI, Ladysmith WI, Hayward WI, Atkinson NE, Ord NE, Holdrege NE, Beatrice NE, Nebraska City NE, Norton KS, Junction City KS, Topeka KS, Ellsworth KS, Wakeeney KS, Goodland KS, Scott City KS, Ottawa KS, Manhattan KS, Ottawa KS, Manhattan KS, El Reno OK, Shawnee OK, Oklahoma City OK, Tulsa OK, McAlester OK, Dallas TX, Greenville TX, Palestine TX, Montevideo MN, Owatonna MN, Litchfield MN, Willmar MN, Worthington MN, Creston IA, Des Moines IA, Cedar Rapids IA, Emmetsburg IA, Algona IA, Knoxville IA, Kirksville MO, Milan MO, Sedalia MO, St Joseph MO, Willow Springs MO, Butler MO, Warrensburg MO, Kansas City MO, Clinton MO, St Louis MO, Bloomington IL, Jacksonville IL, Freeport IL, Carrollton IL, Effingham IL, Mount Vernon IL, Sterling IL, Litchfield IL, Indianapolis IN, Corinth MS, Montgomery AL, Charlotte NC, Cincinnati OH, State College PA, Gettysburg PA, New Castle PA, Saint Marys PA, Lancaster PA, Hazleton PA, Scranton PA, Pittsburgh PA, Port Jervis NY, Rockland ME
Japan: Osaka, Hiroshima, Nakama, Fukuoka, Asahikawa, Choshi, Sendai, Okazaki, Edogawa
Canada: Winnipeg
Portugal: Coimbra
Spain: Oviedo
France: Reims
Belgium: Charleroi
Luxembourg: Luxembourg
Italy: Siena, Ferrara
United Kingdom: Huddersfield
Switzerland: Zurich, Geneva
Germany: Berlin, Munich, Leipzig, Wuppertal
Austria: Linz, Mistelbach, Pinkafeld
Czech Republic: Brno
Slovenia: entire country
Areas new high resolution satellite updates:
Canada, United States, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Belize, Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Peru, Suriname, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, South Africa, Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Zambia, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica
Posted by Eric Kolb, Geo Data Specialist
Google Earth Outreach launches in Australia and New Zealand
November 5, 2012
(Cross posted from
Google Australia Blog
)
Great Barrier Reef coral health, fire management, and depleting forest cover are some of our nation’s greatest environmental challenges. But up until now it has been a challenge to bring large-scale environmental issues (that might affect hundreds of thousands of acres) to life in a meaningful way. To help address this, we’re bringing
Google Earth Outreach
to Australia and New Zealand.
With Google Earth Outreach, nonprofit organisations can use Google mapping tools to visualise their causes and tell their stories to millions of people around the world.
See
how nonprofits and researchers are using Google mapping tools.
Across the globe, nonprofits have used Google Earth Outreach to
help clear landmines
in Cambodia and Angola, and to
demonstrate forest and wildlife loss
in Sumatra, Indonesia. At last night’s
official launch event
at Macquarie University, we announced new projects with three Australian partners.
Dr. Elizabeth Madin from
Macquarie University
demonstrated how her team is using Google Earth to further
her work
in investigating coral reef landscapes; they integrate ecological theory and the high-resolution satellite imagery available in Google Earth to identify “grazing halos”, which may be able to tell us more about coral reef health.
The
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority
launched an
interactive map
, which will shows how their
Reef HQ Aquarium
is bringing the Great Barrier Reef to students around the world. They also launched a
Google Earth narrated tour
following the track of Torres the Green Turtle as he swims along the Great Barrier Reef and meets incredible marine life along the way.
The
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
also unveiled two Google Earth tours. The
first tour flies
through their 23 sanctuaries which cover more than 3 million hectares to bring to life their fight to save Australia’s unique wildlife from extinction. The
second tour
overlays AWC geospatial data on top of Google Earth to demonstrate the impact of their EcoFire Project in the Kimberleys over the last six years.
Take the new Google Earth tour
from AWC
If you’re a nonprofit interested in learning more about the Google Earth Outreach program, check out
our website
. There you’ll
find tutorials
and a showcase of
nonprofit success stories
, and you can also
apply for grants
for Google Earth Pro, Google Maps Engine, Google Maps API for Business, and Google Maps Coordinate.
We hope that by bringing this program to Australia and New Zealand, many more organisations will be able to tell powerful visual stories about the important work they do, to both help them raise awareness and funds and further their scientific goals.
Posted by Raleigh Seamster, Program Manager for Google Earth Outreach
Explore the world with tour guide and 3D imagery in Google Earth 7
October 31, 2012
A few months ago, we announced
Google Earth for mobile
, which offered new ways to see cities in 3D and a new tour guide feature to help you discover places of interest on the go. Starting today, you can get both of those features on a bigger screen that makes it even easier to explore by downloading
Google Earth 7
on your desktop. Check out the comprehensive and accurate tours of more than 11,000 popular sites around the world, including our growing list of cities where new 3D imagery is available.
The new tour guide feature in Google Earth 7
The
tour guide
feature serves as a local expert, suggesting nearby places you might want to explore and helping you learn about those locations. For whichever area you’re viewing in Google Earth, thumbnails highlighting pre-created tours in the same area will dynamically update at the bottom of the screen. Simply click on one of the tours, and you’ll embark on a virtual flyover of famous, historical and cultural sites close by. Educational and fun facts from Wikipedia will also appear on the screen as you fly in and around locations like the Great Wall of China,
Stonehenge, and more.
New 3D imagery of Munich, Germany
In addition, Google Earth 7 now includes the comprehensive, accurate 3D imagery we’ve already made available on
Android
and
iOS
for
Boulder, Boston, Charlotte, Denver, Lawrence, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Portland, San Antonio, San Diego, Santa Cruz, Seattle, Tampa, Tucson, Rome and the San Francisco Bay Area (including the Peninsula and East Bay).
And today, we’re adding more 3D imagery for a handful of metropolitan regions including Avignon, France; A
ustin, Texas
;
Munich, Germany
;
Phoenix, Arizona
; and
Mannheim, Germany.
The experience of flying through these areas and seeing the buildings, terrain and even the trees rendered in 3D is now consistent across both mobile and desktop devices -- making all of your virtual travels more realistic than ever.
Download Google Earth 7
and be sure to check out the
Google Earth website
for more tips and tricks.
Posted by Peter Birch, Google Earth Product Manager
Imagery Update: Virtually visit more places in high-resolution
September 28, 2012
Our quest to create the most comprehensive and accurate map of the world is ongoing, but we’re happy to take a pause and share some impressive progress that our
Google Maps
and
Earth
imagery teams have recently made. We’ve refreshed the high resolution
aerial and satellite imagery
for many places around the world, and released some new 45 degree imagery as well.
New 45° imagery available for 51 cities:
In addition, 45° imagery is now available in Google Maps for 37 U.S. and 14 international locations. Below are some examples of the beautiful new views from Pisa, Italy and Winnipeg, Canada.
Probably one of the most famous landmarks in the world is the
Leaning Tower of Pisa
. Its construction started back in 1173 and extended over a period of almost 350 years. Due to increasing incline during the last Century, a stabilization effort was performed that took almost two decades to complete. Today the tower is said to be safe from collapsing for at least 200 more years.
Leaning Tower of Pisa
-
Can you detect the angle?
In the language of the native Cree people, the
city’s name of Winnipeg
means “muddy waters.” The first European settlements in the area were several fur trading posts started around 1738. Today Winnipeg’s economic and educational significance within Canada is undoubted. Below is an image of The Forks which designates the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.
The Forks in Winnipeg, Canada -
View Larger Map
New high resolution aerial and satellite imagery:
The aerial and satellite imagery in Google Maps and Earth has now been updated for 17 cities and 112 countries/regions. Below are a few highlights from our latest release:
The aerial image below shows the pentagon-shaped Citadel of Lille, in Lille, France. It was built in 1668 and designed by the great military engineer of the time, Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban.
Citadel of Lille, France -
View Larger Map
The next aerial imagery shown below was taken earlier this month of the Texas State Capitol and adjoining grounds in Austin, Texas. The building is recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas -
View Larger Map
Below is the full list of places with new or updated imagery. Have fun exploring the new sites!
Cities with new high resolution 45° imagery:
United States: Ames, IA; Anderson, IN; Billings, MT; Bloomington, IL; Carmel Valley, CA; Cedar Rapids, IA; Coeur d'Alene, ID; Corvallis, OR; Danville, IL; Dayton, OH; Detroit, MI; Dubuque, IA; Elizabethtown, KY; Enid, OK; Florence, SC; Grand Forks, ND; Great Falls, MT; Gulfport, MS; Hartford, CT; Kankakee, IL; Kenosha, WI; Lafayette, IN; Lancaster, CA; Lansing, MI; Lewiston, ID; Los Banos, CA; Sun Prairie, WI; Medford, OR; Michigan City, IN; Olympia, WA; Pocatello, ID; Sheboygan, WI; Sioux City, IA; Sioux Falls, SD; South Bend, IN; Terre Haute, IN; Utica, NY.
International: Angers, France; Clermont-Ferrand, France; Coimbra, Portugal; Dijon, France; Grenoble, France; Livorno, Italy; Lyon, France; Newcastle, United Kingdom; Oberhausen, Germany; Palermo, Italy; Pisa, Italy; Toulouse, France; Troyes, France; Winnipeg, Canada.
Areas with new high resolution aerial updates:
Florence OR, Kellogg ID, Casper WY, North Platte NE, Concordia KS, Alva OK, Austin TX, Nevada MO, Chilicothe MO, Toulouse FR, Clermont-Ferrand FR, Angers FR, Nantes FR, Troyes FR, Lille FR, Thun CH, Lucca IT
Areas new high resolution satellite updates:
Canada, United States, Mexico, Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Antarctica, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Zambia, Angola, Malawi, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Central African Republic, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Mali, The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Turkey, Iran, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzebekistan, Turkmenistan, China, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, Mongolia, The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand
Posted by Bernd Steinert, Geo Data Specialist
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