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Description
The Terra and Aqua combined Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Type (MCD12Q1) Version 6.1 data product provides global land cover types at yearly intervals. The MCD12Q1 Version 6.1 data product is derived using supervised classifications of MODIS Terra and Aqua reflectance data. Land cover types are derived from the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), University of Maryland (UMD), Leaf Area Index (LAI), BIOME-Biogeochemical Cycles (BGC), and Plant Functional Types (PFT) classification schemes. The supervised classifications then undergo additional post-processing that incorporate prior knowledge and ancillary information to further refine specific classes. Additional land cover property assessment layers are provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) for land cover, land use, and surface hydrology.
Layers for Land Cover Type 1-5, Land Cover Property 1-3, Land Cover Property Assessment 1-3, Land Cover Quality Control (QC), and a Land Water Mask are provided in each MCD12Q1 Version 6.1 Hierarchical Data Format 4 (HDF4) file.
Known Issues
The "units" field is missing in the metadata, however, this information can be found in Table 1 of the User Guide.
The MCD12Q1.061 land cover data product is derived using supervised classification of MODIS Terra and Aqua reflectance data. The classification algorithm uses labeled training samples selected globally to represent land cover categories derived under the IGBP, UMD, LAI, BIOME-BGC, and PFT classification schemes. These training samples were selected to represent land classes, best suited over a certain period. However, due to lack of funding, the science team was not able to keep the training database updated over the course of the years, and some of these training sites could well have undergone changes in their land cover characteristics, especially after 2021. Hence users are urged to maintain caution while using the V6.1/MCD12Q1 land cover layers for 2021 and beyond. More information on this known issue can be found in the Land Data Products Operational Products (LDOPE) Quality Assessment.
Known issues are described in Section 2.2 of the User Guide.
The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6.1 Land Cover data products: (1) Version 6.1 Level-1B (L1B) products have been improved by undergoing various calibration changes that include: changes to the response-versus-scan angle (RVS) approach that affects reflectance bands for Aqua and Terra MODIS, corrections to adjust for the optical crosstalk in Terra MODIS infrared (IR) bands, and corrections to the Terra MODIS forward look-up table (LUT) update for the period 2012 – 2017, (2) A polarization correction has been applied to the L1B Reflective Solar Bands (RSB), and (3) A minor correction to the UMD Land Cover classification.
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC)
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MODIS Adaptive Processing System, Terrestrial Information Systems Laboratory, Earth Sciences Division, Science and Exploration Directorate, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA (NASA/GSFC/SED/ESD/TISL/MODAPS)
Citation is critically important for dataset documentation and discovery. This dataset is openly shared, without restriction, in accordance with the EOSDIS Data Use and Citation Guidance.
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Friedl, M., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2022). MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q1.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-24
@misc{friedl_sulla-menashe_2022,
title={MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V061},
url={https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/catalog/lpcloud-mcd12q1-061},
DOI={10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q1.061},
publisher={NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center},
author={Friedl, Mark and Sulla-Menashe, Damien},
year={2022},
}
Friedl, M., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2022). MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V061 [Dataset]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q1.061 Date Accessed: 2026-08-24
Friedl, Mark, and Damien Sulla-Menashe. “MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V061.” NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center, 2022, https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q1.061. Date Accessed: 2026-08-24
File Naming Convention
MCD12Q1.A2024001.h21v07.061.2025205222320.hdf
The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD12Q1) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2024001), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h21v07), the Version of the data collection (061), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2025205222320), and the Data Format (hdf).