The WSF Tracker is a global dataset designed to outline how built-up areas evolve over time. Developed through collaboration between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and MindEarth, with support from a dedicated initiative of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Global Development Assistance (GDA) programme, the WSF Tracker captures settlement changes worldwide every six months at 10 m resolution since July 2016. Until now, global settlement maps have largely functioned as static snapshots, capturing where built-up areas existed at a given moment but offering limited visibility into how they evolved over time. The WSF Tracker changes this by creating a continuously updated global record of settlement dynamics.

Product Information:

• Product Name: World Settlement Footprint (WSF) Tracker - Global, 2016-2026
• Release: 06-11-2026
• Contact: WSF Team

Data Information:

• Format: Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF
• Spatial Resolution: 10 m
• Period: 2016-2026
• Coverage: Global
• DOI: 10.15489/3fa4d2j0tk78
• License: CC-BY-4.0

Data Access:

• Download: HTTP download via EOC Download Service

DLR © 2026

DLR, EOC, Sentinel-1/2, Copernicus, ESA, urbanization, urban growth, global settlements, GDA

Name: WGS 84 (EPSG:4326)

Bounds: -180, -60, 180, 78