GADM version 3.6 (released May 6, 2018) is a foundational dataset for spatial analysis, delimiting 386,735 administrative areas worldwide. While newer versions like 4.1 exist, 3.6 remains widely used due to its stable system, which was specifically fixed in this release after errors in version 3.4. How to Download Version 3.6
If the main website is down or loading slowly, you can pull straight from the directory files indexed at the UC Davis Geodata Repository . For Shapefiles: Pull from the UC Davis SHP Folder . For GeoPackages: Pull from the UC Davis GPKG Folder . 🛠️ Accessing GADM 3.6 via Code download gadm data version 36 work
for consistency in long-term projects or historical comparisons. Step 1: Access the Version 3.6 Download Page GADM maintains a dedicated section for its legacy data. GADM Old Versions page to find direct links for Version 3.6. You can choose between two main download methods: By Country (Recommended): GADM Country Download (v3.6) GADM version 3
Do not use third-party mirror sites. Always use https://gadm.org/download_country_v3 or https://gadm.org/download_world_v3 . For Shapefiles: Pull from the UC Davis SHP Folder
| Format | Best for | Notes | |--------|----------|-------| | | QGIS, ArcGIS (all versions) | Universal, but requires all 4–5 component files. | | GeoPackage (.gpkg) | QGIS, modern GIS | Single-file, better performance, highly recommended. | | R data (.rds) | R users (sf or sp packages) | Loads directly with readRDS() . | | KMZ | Google Earth, web mapping | Limited attribute access. |
GADM data is free for academic and non-commercial use . Commercial redistribution requires prior permission.