What is the ESRI Shapefiles?

The ESRI (www.esri.com) Shapefile is a data-type used in many Geographic Information Systems software products. It was developed by ESRI primarily for use with their product ArcView GIS. Shapefiles can also be used in ARC/INFO, ArcGIS and other widely-used GIS software. If you do not have professional GIS software you can use Shapefiles in freeware GIS viewers like ArcReader. ArcReader is a free, easy-to-use mapping application that allows users to view, explore, and print maps.

How do I use the Intact Forest Landscapes map in Shapefiles?

1. To download the Shapefiles for your area of interest, select the location on the map or select the file from shp list. You could also download all world IFL as a single Shapefile.
2. Once you have downloaded the file, unzip it to a separate folder. Using any GIS software that handles Shapefiles, open the file world_ifl_blockXX.shp.

What is the data projection?

Projection: Geographic
Units: DD
Datum: WGS 1984

What can I see on the map?

The Intact Forest Landscapes Shapefiles contain the polygons of Intact Forest Landscapes (IFL) areas divided into the regular grid blocks. Using Shapefiles you can see and print IFL maps for your local area and overlay IFL polygons with any other GIS data.