The Global Drought Proportional Economic Loss Risk Deciles is a 2.5 minute grid of drought hazard economic loss as proportions of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per analytical Unit. Estimates of GDP at risk are based on regional economic loss rates derived from historical records of the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT). Loss rates are weighted by the hazard's frequency and distribution. The methodology of Sachs et al. (2003) is followed to determine baseline estimates of GDP per grid cell. To better reflect the confidence surrounding the data and procedures, the range of proportionalities is classified into deciles, 10 class of an approximately equal number of grid cells of increasing risk. This data set is the result of collaboration among the Columbia University Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Global Drought Hazard Frequency and Distribution is a 2.5 minute grid based upon the International Research Institute for Climate Prediction's (IRI) Weighted Anomaly of Standardized Precipitation (WASP). Utilizing average monthly precipitation data from 1980 through 2000 at a resolution of 2.5 degrees, WASP assesses the precipitation deficit or surplus over a three month temporal window that is weighted by the magnitude of the seasonal cyclic variation in precipitation. The three months' averages are derived from the precipitation data and the median rainfall for the 21 year period is calculated for each grid cell. Grid cells where the three month running average of precipitation is less than 1 mm per day ae excluded. Drought events are identified when the magnitude of a monthly precipitation deficit is less than or equal to 50 percent of its longterm median value for three or more consecutive months. Grid cells are then divided into 10 classes having an approximately equal number of grid cells. Higher grid cell values denote higher frequencies of drought occurrences. This data set is the result of collaboration among the Columbia University Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR), Columbia University International Research Institute for Climate Prediction (IRI), and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Global Cyclone Mortality Risks and Distribution is a 2.5 minute grid of global cyclone mortality risks. Gridded Population of the World, Version 3 (GPWv3) data provide a baseline estimation of population per grid cell from which to estimate potential mortality loss. Mortality loss estimates per hazard event are calculated using regional, hazard-specific mortality records of the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) that span the 20 years between 1981 and 2000. Data regarding the frequency and distribution of cyclone hazard are obtained from the Global Cyclone Hazard Frequency and Distribution data set. In order to more accurately reflect the confidence associated with the data and procedures, the potential mortality estimate range is classified into deciles, 10 classes of an approximately equal number of grid cells, providing a relative estimate of cyclone-based mortality risks. This data set is the result of collaboration among the Columbia University Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Global Cyclone Total Economic Loss Risk Deciles is a 2.5 minute grid of global cyclone total economic loss risks. A process of spatially allocating Gross Domestic Product (GDP) based upon the Sachs et al. (2003) methodology is utilized. First the proportional contributions of subnational Units to their respective national GDP are determined using sources of various origins. The contribution rates are then applied to published World Bank Development Indicators to determine a GDP value for the subnational Unit. Once the national GDP is spatially stratified into the smallest administrative Units available, GDP values for grid cells are derived using population distribution data. A per capita contribution value is determined within each subnational Unit, and this value is multiplied by the population per grid cell as determined from Gridded Population of the World, Version 3 (GPWv3) data. Once a GDP value is determined on a per grid cell basis, then the regionally variable loss rate, as derived from the historical records of EM-DAT, is used to determine the total economic loss risks posed to a grid cell by cyclone hazards. The final surface does not present absolute values of total economic loss, but rather a relative decile (1-10 with increasing risk) ranking of grid cells based upon the calculated economic loss risks. This data set is the result of collaboration among the Columbia University Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Global Cyclone Hazard Frequency and Distribution is a 2.5 minute grid based on more than 1,600 storm tracks for the period 1 January 1980 through 31 December 2000 for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans that were assembled and modeled at UNEP/GRID-Geneva PreView. Windspeeds around storm tracks were modeled using Holland's model (1997) to assess the grid cells likely to have been exposed to high wind levels. Post-modeling, the cells were divided into deciles, 10 classes consisting of approximately equal number of grid cells. The higher the value of the grid cell, the higher the decile ranking and the greater the frequency of the hazard relative to other cells. This data set is the result of collaboration among the Columbia University Center for Hazards and Risk Research (CHRR), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank, United Nations Environment Programme Global Resource Information Database Geneva (UNEP/GRID-Geneva), and Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Urban Place GIS Coverage of Mexico is a vector based point Geographic Information System (GIS) coverage of 696 urban places in Mexico. Each Urban Place is geographically referenced down to one tenth of a minute. The attribute data include time-series population and selected census/geographic data items for Mexican urban places from from 1921 to 1990. The cartographic data include urban place point locations on a state boundary file of Mexico. This data set is produced by the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in collaboration with the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica Geografia e Informatica (INEGI) and the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) of Michigan.

The Population Database of Mexico contains geographically referenced population data for Mexican states, municipalities and localities from the 1990 Mexican population and housing census. The data include population by gender and age group for approximately 83.7% of the Mexican population. This data set is produced by the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The GIS of Mexican States, Municipalities and Islands consists of attribute and boundary data for 1990. The attribute data include population, language, education, literacy, housing Units and land cover classification from the 1990 Mexican population and housing census. The boundary data associated with the United States-Mexico border are consistent with the U.S. Census Bureau TIGER95 data. This data set is produced by the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).

The Dar es Salaam Land Use and Informal Settlement Data Set represents urban land use and consolidation of informal settlements for the years 1982, 1992, 1998, and 2002, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The land use categories are informal settlement areas, planned residential areas, ocean and estuaries, vacant and agriculture lands, and other urban features such as industrial or recreation areas. The data are based on the World Geodetic System spheroid of 1984 and use the Universal Transverse Mercator Zone 37 South projection.

The Compendium of Environmental Sustainability Indicator Collections, Version 1.1 contains 426 indicators for 239 countries from five major environmental sustainability indicator efforts: the 2006 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), 2005 Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI), 2004 Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI), the Rio to Johannesburg Dashboard, the Wellbeing of Nations, and 2006 National Footprint Accounts. It also incorporates 38 ancillary variables such as region name, dummy variables for landlocked countries and small island states, population, GDP, and land area. The collection is compiled and distributed by the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN).