Germany offers a wealth of free geodata. Combined with your own data, it can answer many questions without expensive data purchases.

Key sources

  • State geoportals (Länder): cadastral data, aerial imagery (digital orthophotos), elevation models, building outlines – many now free under open licences.
  • Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG): administrative boundaries, topographic maps, geographical names.
  • Copernicus: satellite imagery and land-monitoring products from the EU.
  • OpenStreetMap: roads, buildings, points of interest, maintained by a global community.
  • Federal statistical offices: population and demographic data, including grid-based census data.

What INSPIRE is

The EU INSPIRE directive requires public authorities to provide spatial data in standardised formats and services across Europe. As a result, many datasets are available as WMS/WFS services that can be loaded directly into GIS software or web maps.

Licences

Most official German open data uses licences such as Datenlizenz Deutschland – Namensnennung 2.0 or Zero. OpenStreetMap uses the ODbL, which requires attribution and share-alike for derived databases. Always check and follow attribution requirements.

Business uses

  • Basemaps and aerial imagery for web maps
  • Building data for solar potential or real-estate analysis
  • Elevation data for flood risk or line-of-sight analysis
  • Administrative boundaries for sales territories
  • Census grids for demand estimation

Practical tips

  • Check data currency and accuracy for your purpose
  • Mind coordinate systems (often ETRS89/UTM)
  • Use services directly when possible to stay up to date
  • Store derived data with source and licence information

We help you find, combine and use open geodata alongside your business data – saving time and licence costs.

Planning a project like this? Our AI project assistant asks the right questions for your field and turns your answers into a clear brief – then our team near Munich sends a free, non-binding quote within 24 hours on business days. Start now or read the complete GIS & Geospatial guide.
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