Next Steps and QGIS

Now that you have soaked up all of this information, what is next? Lets continue learning through QGIS. QGIS is a free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) software. You are allowed to create, analyze, and publish data through a map. We are going to take some of the concepts that we learned earlier and apply them by creating our own maps!

Downloading QGIS

Lets first start by downloading QGIS. Feel free to donate, otherwise click "skip and go to downloads". Select the correct download for your platform. If you are using windows, I recommend the "Long term version for windows" download. After downloading, follow the download instructions to complete the installation.

How to collect data for your map

Now that we have QGIS installed, how do we download data to add to our map? Knowing where to find good geospatial data might take some time but is important. Listed below are different websites that you can use to download data. This data can then be used in QGIS when creating your maps.
OpenStreetMap

Natural Earth

US

NYC Open Data

City of San Diego Open Data Portal

Canada

Canada Open Government Portal

City of Victoria Open Data Portal