Ever found yourself exploring a map and wondering what the layer underneath actually is? That’s the basemap, a special layer that gives spatial context behind your maps location and acts as a handy reference for comparing maps to modern images.
You can access basemaps anytime from the bottom-left corner of your screen while viewing a map or browsing the map tab. Let's take a look at each different type and what they’re best used for.
This layer gives you a Google Maps-style view of the world, showing roads, place names, and other details you’d normally see on a typical navigation map. It’s great for finding location names and overlaying urban or city-based maps on top.
This layer highlights elevation, perfect for visualizing mountains, valleys, and other elevated terrain. Try exploring the mountain heights to see how high they really go, it almost feels 3D!
The next one is the most common, Satellite! Made up of the clearest, cloud-free imagery, stitched across the world, this layer shows Earth as we see it from space. Remember, the imagery isn’t up-to-date, but it’s perfect for comparing changes and providing real-world context for your maps. You can also select Hybrid to overlay street data like names and roads.
There's also White and Dark base layers. These are similar to OpenStreetMap but feature a more simplistic and bold design. They’re perfect for overlaying information without the clutter of names or labels.
Finally, there's White and Dark Blank layers. Just as they sound, they are totally blank! These are great for maps with transparent backgrounds, letting you showcase your data over a solid colour. Here it is behind NASAs World Digital Elevation Model map.
Basemaps are essential for comparing data. Take an old satellite image from the 1960s - without a basemap, we can’t clearly visualise how areas have changed. With the Satellite basemap, we can compare this older imagery to something more recent and high-resolution using the transparency slider.
With the OpenStreetMap basemap, we can easily spot structural changes and road updates. Basemaps also give us a much clearer sense of where the map is located in the world.
Basemaps provide that extra context and a solid point of comparison, offering far more than just a fancy background. With all these options, you can choose the basemap that fits your needs best. Just open any map on Soar, select your favourite basemap in the corner, and start exploring!
