# OSM Malawi Geospatial Data Guide
This repository was created by the **OSM Malawi Community of Practice** in response to frequent requests for geospatial data, especially on our WhatsApp group. It serves as a **community-maintained guide** to help users find and access commonly used geospatial datasets relevant to Malawi.
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## ❗ Important Note
OSM Malawi **does not host or claim ownership** of the datasets referenced in this repository. We are only providing:
- Links to external sources where the data may be found
- Guidance on how to request datasets when not publicly available
- Metadata and descriptions to support informed use
Please always verify licensing and permissions from the original data owners before using or redistributing any dataset.
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## 🔍 What You’ll Find Here
- ✅ A list of commonly requested geospatial datasets
- 🔗 Links to open sources (where available)
- 🧭 Guidance on where to request restricted datasets
- 📌 Notes on data format, coverage, and licensing (if known)
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## 📘 Datasets & Access Info
| Dataset | Description | Where to Find / Contact | Notes |
|--------|-------------|-------------------------|-------|
| Administrative (Malawi boundary) | The boundary of Malawi |
data.humdata.org | Use level 0 |
| Administrative (Regional boundaries) | Traditional Authority administrative areas |
data.humdata.org | Use level 1 |
| Administrative (Boundaries of districts) | Traditional Authority administrative areas |
data.humdata.org | Use level 2 |
| TA Boundaries | Traditional Authority administrative areas |
data.humdata.org | Use level 3 |
| Health Facilities | Locations of hospitals, clinics, and health posts | Add link i.e. zipatala (MoH official dataset) | CSV, shapefile formats available |
| Road Network | Road network across Malawi | OSM, Ministry of Transport | Link to OpenStreetMap or guide to access such data from gover …