MODIS Global Land Cover Classification for 2000-2001

Land cover classifications provide a global distribution of 17 land cover types defined by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme. The dataset was generated using a full year of MODIS satellite data from October 2000 to October 2001, aimed at supporting global system science modelers. It is hosted by the ORNL_CLOUD organization and appears on multiple government data platforms.

Use Cases

• Modeling global biogeochemical cycles using the 17 IGBP land cover types.
• Assessing land surface albedo and radiative properties based on fractional cover data.
• Validating regional land use change studies against a global baseline classification.
• Analyzing spatial patterns of vegetation cover and other land surface characteristics.

Strengths

• Provides a globally consistent classification based on a full year of MODIS satellite observations.
• Includes multiple data layers such as dominant type, classification confidence, and fractional cover.
• Follows the widely recognized 17-category IGBP land cover classification scheme.

Limitations

• Key technical details such as column names, row counts, and exact file size are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date, with one listing 2001-10-01 and others listing 2026-03 13.

Provenance

Source

ORNL_CLOUD organization, using MODIS (Collection 4) data.

Collection Method

Generated by exploiting the spectral, temporal, spatial, and directional information content of MODIS data.

Time Range

October 2000 to October 2001

Freshness

2026-03-13 01:32:30.877510

Geography

Global