The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency from the U.S. has released a prototype global shoreline data set that covers the entire globe. The vector shoreline data has been derived from orthorectified Landsat imagery from 2000. The white paper (Word document) accompanying the dataset suggests that the data has a 50 metre accuracy and contains gaps where there was cloud or ice cover in the imagery - about 10% of the area. The data is available for download in sections. The file format is shapefile.

EVS-Islands compares the prototype global shoreline dataset to the enhanaced vector shoreline set he is creating and is impressed. The EVS dataset appears more accurate but does not cover as much shoreline (at least currently).

By way of Geotechnologies in Education

See also previous posting on EVS-Islands.