Leaf: Surface Freshwater Bodies Dataset: Natural Earth — Lakes and Rivers
Natural Earth includes ne_10m_lakes, ne_10m_rivers_lake_centerlines, and related ocean basin polygon variants at three scales. Best used for continental or global overview contexts.
Python load
import geopandas as gpd
lakes = gpd.read_file("ne_10m_lakes.shp")
rivers = gpd.read_file("ne_10m_rivers_lake_centerlines.shp")
# Optional: filter to major rivers only
major_rivers = rivers[rivers["scalerank"] <= 4]Key attributes
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
featurecla | Feature class (Lake, River) |
name | Feature name |
scalerank | Prominence rank (lower = larger/more important) |
min_zoom | Suggested minimum display zoom |