MODIS MCD12C1: Global Land Cover Maps at 0.05 Degrees, 2001-2020

MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 0.05Deg CMG V006 provides yearly global land cover maps from 2001 to 2020 at a 5,600-meter spatial resolution. The dataset, produced by NASA, includes three classification schemes and sub-pixel land cover proportions for each pixel. This version was decommissioned on July 31, 2023, with users directed to the updated Version 6.1 product.

Use Cases

• Climate modeling based on aggregated land cover classifications at a 0.05-degree resolution.
• Analyzing global land cover change trends based on yearly maps from 2001 to 2020.
• Assessing sub-pixel land cover composition based on the provided proportion layers for IGBP, UMD, and LAI schemes.
• Validating land cover products using the aggregated quality assessment information included for each classification scheme.

Strengths

• Provides 20 years of consistent, yearly global data from 2001 to 2020.
• Includes three distinct land classification schemes (IGBP, UMD, LAI) and sub-pixel proportions.
• Spatial resolution is specified as 0.05 degrees (approximately 5,600 meters).

Limitations

• The dataset is decommissioned; users are directed to a newer version (MCD12C1 V6.1).
• The product should not be used to determine post-classification land cover change between years due to uncertainty in labels.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Spatially aggregated and reprojected version of the tiled MCD12Q1 Version 6 data product from combined Terra and Aqua MODIS sensors.

Time Range

2001 to 2020

Freshness

Last updated 2026-03-12 23:37:51.545164; freshness should be verified as the dataset is decommissioned.

Geography

Global