The Atlas is based on data obtained from satellite imagery acquired during the period of 1991-1995 and supplemented by existing, statewide spatial databases.

Seven major land cover categories are delineated: 1) cropland, 2) grassland, 3) forested and wooded land, 4) wetland, 5) urban and built-up land, 6) open water, and 7) barren and exposed land. These categories are further subdivided into 21 subcategories to provide greater detail on the Illinois landscape.Data for each of the categories and subcategories are reported statewide and county-by-county.

The data do not represent land use --human activities associated with the land or the functional role of land in economic activities. While many of the concepts of land cover and land use are related (e.g., cropland suggests farming) others are not. Thus, the data should not be used to infer land use.

Summary Land Cover by Categories

Summary Land Cover by Counties

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Meta Data for CTAP Land Cover Database, 1991-1995