MapSource map sizes
This page is a resource for maps that are loadable to your Garmin mapping GPS receiver. It is not complete so please email me if you have additional information.
Garmin produces a number of commercial MapSource mapping products with varying features and coverage areas from a variety of mapping suppliers. You should not assume that the features, coverage and operation of (for example) MetroGuide Australia will be the same as MetroGuide North America, although the products will have generic similarities.
- Features of Garmin mapping;
- When you download a new mapset to a Garmin GPS receiver it will automatically delete the previous mapset
- You can load segments from 2 (or more) different mapsets to a GPS receiver but you must select and download them in one session on the PC
- When 2 (or more) mapsets cover the same area then only 1 will be displayed
This is the priority order; - City Navigator
City Select
MetroGuide
BlueChart
Fishing Hotspots
Water Waypoints and Lights
Road & Recreation
Topo
WorldMap - - Mapsets can be manually turned off (and on) in the unit
- Garmins MapSource products run on Windows PCs
- Garmin produces the following Garmin GPS receiver loadable commercial mapping products;
United States; - City Navigator North America (unlock code)
- City Select North America (unlock code)
- MetroGuide North America
- Roads & Recreation US
- US Topo
- US Topo 24K National Parks, West
- US Topo 24K National Parks, East
- BlueChart Americas (unlock code)
- Canada;
- MetroGuide Canada - Canadian mapping overview
- upgraded MetroGuide v4 is available - Topo Canada
- Europe;
- City Navigator Europe (unlock code)
- City Select Europe (unlock code)
- MetroGuide Europe - review
- upgraded MetroGuide v6 is available - Roads & Recreation Europe
- BlueChart Atlantic (unlock code)
- Japan;
- City Select Japan (unlock code)
- MetroGuide Japan (unlock code)
- Topo Japan (unlock code)
- Bluechart Pacific (unlock code)
- Korea;
- City Navigator Korea (unlock code)
- Taiwan;
- Topo Taiwan (unlock code)
- Australia;
- City Navigator Australia (unlock code) - overview
- MetroGuide Australia (unlock code) - overview
- Bluechart Pacific (unlock code)
- New Zealand;
- City Navigator New Zealand (unlock code)
- South Africa;
- City Select South Africa (unlock code)
- Middle East;
- City Navigator Middle East (unlock code)
- World;
- WorldMap
MapSource map sizes
Autorouting mapping products will work on non-autorouting GPS receivers but without autorouting (obviously!).
Most non-autorouting mapping products will work on autorouting GPS receivers and you may choose to sacrifice autorouting for better coverage (for example Australian products). Garmins compatibility lists do not show this.
Products that require unlock codes come with a 'MapSource unlock certificate' and need to have the
code generated on Garmins website. Unlock codes for two GPS receivers
may be generated from each certificate.
Products with unlock codes will not work on GPS receivers that do not have an internal ID code such as the older
StreetPilot, StreetPilot Colormap, GPS12Map and GPS III+.
Comments on WorldMap;
The WorldMap product is of such a standard that, if this is all you have available,
then you may wish to consider purchasing a non-mapping GPS receiver and instead connecting to a PC or
PocketPC running OziExplorer or Fugawi.
'A mapping GPS receiver without decent maps is about as useful as tits on a bull' - Unknown source but very true
Garmin has not encouraged third party map development (particularly in small market countries) as one might expect.
Moving map GPS receivers are the future of digital mapping and significantly more useful than non-mapping GPSRs. All
we need now is acknowledgement that the 'G' stands for Global.
- Some resellers, under license from Garmin, produce loadable maps for their own countries.
- Belgium
- Topo
- Chile
- Road map and general topo
- Croatia
- Road map of Croatia and Slovenia
- Czech Republic
- Topo
- Finland
- Road map and general topo
- Germany
- Topo south of Frankfurt
- Hungary
- Road map
- Norway
- Topo
- Peru
- Topo
- Road map
- Poland
- Road map
- Russia
- Roads of Russia
- Slovakia
- Slovakia Roads (with autorouting)
- Slovakia Topo
- South Africa
- Road map
- Sweden
- Topo
- Ukraine
- Road map
- Venezuela
- Road map
Other software providers, using public domain tools, also produce maps with some being commercial products and some free to download. I am not aware of any third party auto-routing products. These products can vary in quality and frequently do not have searchable POI lists and incomplete street names. They are, however, significantly better than the only other option.
- Non Garmin mapping products;
- Poland
- Map Project
- Tomasz Surmacz maps
- Czech Republic
- TopoGuide CZ
- Finland
- Free maps
- UK
- Transparent Topo maps
- Greece
- Free maps
- Iraq
- Iraq commercial maps
- Iran
- Iran commercial maps
- Middle East
(Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi, UAE) - Maps
- Afghanistan
- Afghanistan commercial maps
- Canada
- Calgary area street and topo maps
- Mexico
- Overview only
- Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay
- Street and track map
- Japan
- Central Japan
- Commercial Street and Topo maps
- Hong Kong
- Commercial map
- Singapore/Malaysia
- Free map
- http://www.malsingmaps.com/
- Australia
- Tracks4Australia - rural roads and tracks
- New Zealand
- Brents NZ maps
- NZ Open GPS Maps Project
- Africa
- Tracks4Africa - rural road and tracks
- MapCenter free map database
- http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/
When you download a map, bear in mind that the creator of the map may (or may not) have used free or copyrighted source data with (or without) a license and you assume the risk.