UN-GGIM Definition: Physical and functional coverage of the land including forests, urban areas, water bodies, and zoned land use.
SPHERE Mapping
This theme is represented as interpreted thematic partitioning rather than a standalone branch. Land cover links to Biosphere (vegetation, ecosystems) and Hydrosphere (water bodies). Land use links to Anthroposphere (zoning, planning). See INSPIRE Land Cover and Use and ISO Imagery/BaseMaps/EarthCover.
Primary sphere: Anthroposphere Subsphere(s): anthroposphere_perception_thematics
Cross-Domain Connections (Threads)
This theme bridges multiple SPHERE domains:
- Primary: Anthroposphere Perception & Thematics
- Thread → Biosphere
- Interpreted from → Passive Remote Sensing imagery (a collection method, see Orthoimagery)
Harvesting Hints
Keywords: land cover, land use, LULC, CORINE, Urban Atlas, classification, thematic map. Major LULC products often have their own specific catalog entries.