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Description

The MCD12Q1 Version 6 data product was decommissioned on July 31, 2023. Users are encouraged to use the MCD12Q1 Version 6.1 data product.

The Terra and Aqua combined Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Cover Type (MCD12Q1) Version 6 data product provides global land cover types at yearly intervals (2001-2020), derived from six different classification schemes listed in the User Guide. The MCD12Q1 Version 6 data product is derived using supervised classifications of MODIS Terra and Aqua reflectance data. The supervised classifications then undergo additional post-processing that incorporate prior knowledge and ancillary information to further refine specific classes.

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 Hierarchical Data Format 4 (HDF4) file.

Known Issues

  • The "units" field is missing in the metadata, however, this information can be found in the table above or on page 5 of the User Guide.
  • Known issues are described on pages 3 and 4 of the User Guide.
  • For complete information about known issues please refer to the MODIS/VIIRS Land Quality Assessment website.

Version Description

The following changes and improvements were implemented for inputs to MODIS Version 6 land cover data products: (1) Version 5 used five classification schemes whereas Version 6 uses six classification schemes, including an entirely new classification scheme based on the Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO),  (2) New gap-filled spectro-temporal features developed by applying smoothing splines to the Nadir Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)-Adjusted Reflectance (NBAR) time series. This change results in significant changes between land cover classifications in Version 5 and Version 6 data, (3) Algorithm used in Version 6 includes a post-processing Hidden Markov Model (HMM) that reduces spurious year-to-year variation in class labels, (4) Algorithm refinements were implemented in upstream MODIS data used as inputs, such as the cloud mask, surface reflectance, and NBAR data products, (5) The value of "Water" in the IGBP classification scheme has changed from "0" to "17", (6) The data product should not be used to determine post-classification land cover change between years due to the uncertainty in the land cover labels for any one year. More information can be found on page 2 of the User Guide, and (7) File size is smaller due to HDF internal compression.

Product Summary

Platforms
Terra ,
Aqua
Instruments
MODIS
Spatial Extent

N: 90 S: -90 E: 180 W: -180

Spatial Resolution
500 Meters x 500 Meters
Spatial Reference System(s)
MODIS Sinusoidal Tiling System
Location
GLOBAL
Coordinate System
CARTESIAN
Granule Spatial Representation
GEODETIC
Temporal Extent
2001-01-01 to 2020-12-31
Temporal Resolution
1 Year
Data Partner
Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) ,
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)
Concept ID
C2763289443-LPCLOUD
Data State
DEPRECATED
Number of Files/Granules
0
Processing Level
3
Published
Updated
Science Keywords
Land Use/Land Cover Classification

Citation

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.

Copy Citation

Friedl, M., & Sulla-Menashe, D. (2019). MCD12Q1 MODIS/Terra+Aqua Land Cover Type Yearly L3 Global 500m SIN Grid V006 [Data set]. NASA Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center. https://doi.org/10.5067/MODIS/MCD12Q1.006 Date Accessed: 2026-05-19

File Naming Convention

MCD12Q1.A2003001.h16v00.006.2018144112435.hdf

The file name begins with the Product Short Name (MCD12Q1) followed by the Julian Date of Acquisition formatted as AYYYYDDD (A2003001), the Tile Identifier which is horizontal tile and vertical tile provided as hXXvYY (h16v00), the Version of the data collection (006), the Julian Date and Time of Production designated as YYYYDDDHHMMSS (2018144112435), and the Data Format (hdf).

Documents

Publications Citing This Dataset

Filters
Title Year Author Topic
The Multi-Compartment Hg Modeling And Analysis Project (Mchgmap): Mercury Modeling To Support International Environmental Policy Dastoor, Ashu, Angot, Helene, Bieser, Johannes, Brocza, Flora, Edwards, Brock, Feinberg, Aryeh, Feng, Xinbin, Geyman, Benjamin, Gournia, Charikleia, He, Yipeng, Hedgecock, Ian M., Ilyin, Ilia, Kirk, Jane, Lin, Che-Jen, Lehnherr, Igor, Mason, Robert, McLagan, David, Muntean, Marilena, Rafaj, Peter, Roy, Eric M., Ryjkov, Andrei, Selin, Noelle E., De Simone, Francesco, Soerensen, Anne L., Steenhuisen, Frits, Travnikov, Oleg, Wang, Shuxiao, Wang, Xun, Wilson, Simon, Wu, Rosa, Wu, Qingru, Zhang, Yanxu, Zhou, Jun, Zhu, Wei, Zolkos, Scott Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Two Decades of FireInduced Albedo Change and Associated ShortWave Radiative Effect Over SubSaharan Africa Flegrova, Michaela, Brindley, Helen Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Fire Ecology, Biomass Burning, Wildfires, Fire Occurrence, Burned Area, Albedo, Anisotropy, Reflectance
Time series trend detection and forecasting of SUHI in Tabriz, Iran Koushesh Vatan, Mohammad Ali, Nemati, Mohammad, Sekertekin, Aliihsan, Zehtabi Aslkhiabani, Mobin Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Time-series reconstruction and mapping of forest aboveground biomass in Yang, Chao, Liu, Aobo, Chen, Yating, Wang, Chengxin, Cheng, Xiao Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Water column respiration in the Yakima River basin is explained by temperature, nutrients, and suspended solids Laan, Maggi M., Fulton, Stephanie G., Garayburu-Caruso, Vanessa A., Barnes, Morgan E., Borton, Mikayla A., Chen, Xingyuan, Farris, Yuliya, Forbes, Brieanne, Goldman, Amy E., Grieger, Samantha, Hall Jr., Robert O., Kaufman, Matthew H., Lin, Xinming, Zionce, Erin L. M., McKever, Sophia A., Myers-Pigg, Allison, Otenburg, Opal, Pelly, Aaron C., Ren, Huiying, Renteria, Lupita, Scheibe, Timothy D., Son, Kyongho, Tagestad, Jerry, Torgeson, Joshua M., Stegen, James C. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Evapotranspiration, Latent Heat Flux
Vegetation Productivity Responses to Compound and Individual Climatic Li, Yangmingkai, Lian, Xu, Cui, Jiangpeng, Hong, Songbai, Wang, Xuhui Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Vegetation signal crosstalk present in official SMAP surface soil Crow, Wade T., Feldman, Andrew F. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Variance-based sensitivity analysis of climate variability impact on Xu, Yingqiang, Albalawneh, Abeer, Al-Zoubi, Maysoon, Baroud, Hiba Precipitation, Precipitation Amount, Precipitation Rate, Snow, Rain, RADAR IMAGERY, Terrain Elevation, Digital Elevation/Terrain Model (DEM), Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Topographical Relief Maps, Land Surface Temperature, Emissivity
Using explainable AI to diagnose the representation of environmental drivers in process-based soil organic carbon models Wang, Lingfei, Abramowitz, Gab, Wang, Ying-Ping, Pitman, Andy, Ciais, Philippe, Goll, Daniel S. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity
The UFLUX ensemble of multiple-scale carbon, water, and energy fluxes Zhu, Songyan, Xu, Jian, Zeng, Jingya, Bao, Shanning, Chen, Yumeng, Shi, Shuaiyi, Zheng, Zhonghua, Dong, Wenquan, Wang, Yapeng, Shi, Jiancheng Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Unifying species distributions, community science and the natural removal experiment' to explore species interactions at broad geographic scales Macklin, Rory D. J., Jankowski, Jill E. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Maximum/Minimum Temperature, Precipitation Amount, Snow Water Equivalent, Vapor Pressure, Shortwave Radiation
Unraveling the Distinct Roles of Snowmelt and Glacier-Melt on Zha, Hang, Zhang, Fan, Zhang, Hongbo, Tang, Shizhen, Zhang, Longhui, Luo, Lun Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Underappreciated contributions of biogenic volatile organic compounds from urban green spaces to ozone pollution Wang, Haofan, Li, Yuejin, Liu, Yiming, Lu, Xiao, Zhang, Yang, Fan, Qi, Shen, Chong, Lai, Senchao, Zhou, Yan, Zhang, Tao, Yue, Dingli Leaf Area Index (LAI), Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation
Upscaling eddy covariance measurements of carbon and water fluxes to the Bu, Jingyi, Xiao, Jingfeng Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Understanding International Cooperation Potential in Coastal Multiple Li, Jiaying, Tang, Junqing, Zhao, Pengjun, Huang, Fengjue, Lyu, Wei, Wang, Jing, Li, Duo, Richards, Dan, Lu, Qiuchen, Zhang, Jingyuan, Chen, Jun Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)
Undesirable Effects of Biogenic Emissions From Urban Green Spaces on Air Zhu, Liuhua, Zhang, Yanli, Wang, Fan, Chen, Bin, Jin, Ling N., Dai, Huibin, Han, Yong, Lu, Xiao, Fu, TzungMay, Gao, Meng Land Use/Land Cover Classification
The Process-Cognizant Vegetation Drought Model (PCVDM): Analyzing Zhang, Zhimei, Jiao, Zhijun, Wu, Lixin Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Reflectance, Emissivity, Land Surface Temperature
Tropospheric NO2 Patterns in Eastern Canada Using the First Year of TEMPO Observations Siu, Tsz Kin, Goldberg, Daniel L., Kerr, Gaige H., Chen, Lulu, Nawaz, M. Omar, Chang, Rachel Y.W., Fong, Kelvin C. Nitrogen Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
the SESaME Human-Earth atlas Faisal, Abdullah Al, Kaye, Maxwell, Ahmed, Maimoonah, Galbraith, Eric D. Heat Flux, Air Temperature, Skin Temperature, Specific Humidity, Water Vapor, Precipitation Rate, Snow/Ice, Evaporation, Latent Heat Flux, Latent Heat Flux, Sensible Heat Flux, Diffusion, Surface Winds, Wind Speed, U/V Wind Components, Wind Stress, Wind Stress, Surface Roughness, Planetary Boundary Layer Height, Ice Fraction, AEROSOL ABSORPTION, UV Aerosol Index, Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Biomass, Forests, Grasslands, Alpine/Tundra
Towards Water Resilience: A Multi-Stage Calibration Framework for Large-Scale integrated SurfaceSubsurface Hydrological Models Sandoval, Leonardo, Guadagnini, Alberto, Condon, Laura, Riva, Monica Population Density, Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Toxic dust emission from drought-exposed lake bedsa new air pollution threat from dried lakes Gao, Qianqian, Chen, Guochao, Lu, Xiaohui, Chen, Jianmin, Zhang, Hongliang, Wang, Xiaofei Land Use/Land Cover Classification
The Speciated isoprene emission model with the MEGAN algorithm for China Xi, Shengjun, Wang, Yuhang, Yuan, Xiangyang, Feng, Zhaozhong, Zhao, Fanghe, Zhang, Yanli, Wang, Xinming Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Leaf Characteristics, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Canopy Characteristics, Evergreen Vegetation, Crown, Deciduous Vegetation, Vegetation Cover
The relative productivity index: Mapping human impacts on rangeland Lomax, Guy A., Powell, Thomas W.R., Lenton, Timothy M., Cunliffe, Andrew M. Land Use/Land Cover Classification, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
The Widely Increasing Sensitivity of Vegetation Productivity to Wang, Longjun, Li, Peng, Peng, Ying, Ren, Peixin, Chen, Yuzhu, Zhou, Xiaolu, Yang, Zicheng, Zou, Ziying, Peng, Changhui Fraction Of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fapar), Leaf Area Index (LAI), Plant Phenology, Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), Photosynthesis, Primary Production, Vegetation Productivity, Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Land Use/Land Cover Classification
Thermal buffering of forest greening across spatiotemporal scales in Huang, Anqi, Shao, Shuai, Liu, Wenqi Land Use/Land Cover Classification
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