General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO)
GEBCO world map
The GEBCO world map shows the bathymetry of the world's ocean floor in the form of a shaded relief colour map. This is the second release of the map and is based on the GEBCO_08 Grid.
Access a copy of the world map in Adobe PDF format 
(310 Mbytes). Please note that because of the size of the file we recommend that the file is saved to disk rather than opened from the above link.
It is planned to make a version of the image file available in JPEG format.
Creation of the map
Work on the creation of the GEBCO world map began as a laboratory workshop project of the Nippon Foundation/GEBCO Training Project at the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping of the University of New Hampshire, USA.
The map is based upon bathymetry data from the GEBCO_08 Grid, version 20100927, a global bathymetric grid with 30 arc-second spacing. The grid is largely based upon a database of shiptrack soundings with interpolation between soundings guided by satellite-derived gravity data. Where they improve on the existing grid, data sets developed by other methods have been included.
The land imagery is taken from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Blue Marble data set. The coastline is taken from the World Vector Shoreline.
The first release of the GEBCO world map was published in 2007 and was based on bathymetry data from the GEBCO One Minute Grid.
Use of the GEBCO world map
The image file has been made available for you to download and either print or use in digital form.
The map is supplied under the following terms and conditions
- Use of the printed map and/or digital imagery for scientific research, environmental conservation, education or other non commercial purposes is authorised without the prior permission of the data set originators, providing the source material is properly credited.
- Use of the printed map and/or digital imagery for sale or for use in a commercial product or for any other commercial purpose is prohibited without the prior permission of the data set originators. In the first instance, any request for such permission should be addressed to the British Oceanographic Data Centre (email BODC Enquiries).
- The printed map/digital imagery should not be used for navigation or for any purpose relating to safety at sea.
Data set acknowledgement
If imagery is reproduced from the GEBCO world map then we suggest the following form of acknowledgement
"Image reproduced from the GEBCO world map 2013, www.gebco.net"
Related GEBCO pages at BODC
| GEBCO at BODC | GEBCO Grid display software | |
| GEBCO Digital Atlas | IHO-IOC GEBCO Cook Book | |
| Order the GEBCO Digital Atlas | Software Interface updates | |
| Download data — GEBCO's gridded data sets | Data set errata | |
| GEBCO Web Map Service (WMS) |
Related external links
| Official GEBCO web site | Nippon Foundation/GEBCO Training Project | |
| Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) | The Blue Marble — land imagery | |
| International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) | World Vector Shoreline (WVS) |
