![FAO/GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m/2025/level2](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/images/FAO/FAO_GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m_2025_level2_sample.png)

Dataset Availability
:   2025-01-01T00:00:00Z--2025-12-31T00:00:00Z

Dataset Producer
:


    [FAO UN](https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/global-administrative-unit-layers-gaul-2025)

Tags
:
    [borders](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/borders) [county](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/county) [districts](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/districts) [fao](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/fao) [gaul](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/gaul) [infrastructure-boundaries](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/infrastructure-boundaries) [table](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/table) [un](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/tags/un)

#### Description

This version of the GAUL dataset is simplified at 500m.

The administrative boundaries dataset at level 2 (sub-national level) is part
of the Global Administrative Unit Layers (GAUL 2025) dataset series which
includes information on administrative units for all countries in the world,
providing a contribution to the standardization of the spatial dataset
representing administrative units.

The administrative boundaries at the level 2 dataset distinguishes Districts,
Counties, Municipalities and equivalents.

The GAUL maintains global layers with a unified coding system at country,
first (e.g. departments), and second administrative levels (e.g. districts).
The overall GAUL methodology consists in a) collecting the best available
data from most reliable sources, b) assembling national datasets into a
common dataset by matching international boundaries with a reference
authoritative dataset (UN 2018), c) standardizing attributes to a common
table of attributes, d) generating codes using the GAUL Coding System,
e) applying a topology, and f) validating metadata for each country
(see [Technical Guidelines of the GAUL 2024 Set](https://doi.org/10.4060/cd4262en)).
Note that some administrative units are multipolygon features.

### Table Schema

**Table Schema**

| Name | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| FID | INT | Internal feature identifier |
| ISO3_CODE | STRING | ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code |
| MAP_CODE | STRING | Map code for statistical joins |
| GAUL0_CODE | INT | GAUL country code |
| GAUL0_NAME | STRING | Country name (UN standard) |
| GAUL1_CODE | INT | GAUL code of administrative units at first level |
| GAUL1_NAME | STRING | Name of administrative units at first level |
| GAUL2_CODE | INT | GAUL code of administrative units at second level |
| GAUL2_NAME | STRING | Name of administrative units at second level |
| CONTINENT | STRING | Continent name |
| DISP_EN | STRING | Hierarchical display label in English |

### Terms of Use

**Terms of Use**

This adaptation was not created by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). FAO is not responsible for the content or accuracy of this adaptation. The original English edition shall be the authoritative edition.
[CC-BY-4.0](https://spdx.org/licenses/CC-BY-4.0.html)

### Citations

Citations:

- FAO. 2025. Global Administrative Unit Layers (GAUL). https://data.apps.fao.org. Licence: CC-BY-4.0

### Explore with Earth Engine

> [!NOTE]
> **Important:** Earth Engine is a platform for petabyte-scale scientific analysis and visualization of geospatial datasets, both for public benefit and for business and government users. Earth Engine is free to use for research, education, and nonprofit use. To get started, please [register for Earth Engine access.](https://console.cloud.google.com/earth-engine)

### Code Editor (JavaScript)

```javascript
var dataset = ee.FeatureCollection('FAO/GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m/2025/level2');

Map.setCenter(12.876, 42.682, 5);

var styleParams = {
  fillColor: 'b5ffb4',
  color: '00909F',
  width: 1.0,
};

dataset = dataset.style(styleParams);

Map.addLayer(dataset, {}, 'Second Level Administrative Units');
```
[Open in Code Editor](https://code.earthengine.google.com/?scriptPath=Examples:Datasets/FAO/FAO_GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m_2025_level2) [FAO GAUL 500m Simplified: Global Administrative Unit Layers 2025, Second-Level Administrative Units](https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/FAO_GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m_2025_level2) This version of the GAUL dataset is simplified at 500m. The administrative boundaries dataset at level 2 (sub-national level) is part of the Global Administrative Unit Layers (GAUL 2025) dataset series which includes information on administrative units for all countries in the world, providing a contribution to the standardization of ... FAO/GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m/2025/level2, borders,county,districts,fao,gaul,infrastructure-boundaries,table,un 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z/2025-12-31T00:00:00Z -90 -180 90 180 Google Earth Engine https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets

- [](https://doi.org/https://data.apps.fao.org/catalog/dataset/global-administrative-unit-layers-gaul-2025)
- [](https://doi.org/https://developers.google.com/earth-engine/datasets/catalog/FAO_GAUL_SIMPLIFIED_500m_2025_level2)