Gaode Maps
Gaode Maps (also known as AMap) is a mapping application and technology from the Chinese company Alibaba.
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Gaode Maps (also known as AMap) is a mapping application and technology from the Chinese company Alibaba.
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Main site: , or
API docs:
Gaode Maps offers maps, satellite imagery, directions (for driving, public transport, and walking), and real-time augmented reality navigation for driving. It is available via the web browser or as a mobile application. (The app was previously known as AutoNavi, and is currently named AMap outside China.) A few highlights:
Global data: Maps, directions and recommended transport data are available globally, though the data are most detailed for China.
Mobile app "AMap Global" available in English: The English mobile app offers basic functions including map search, satellite imagery and directions in China. (Other functionalities may be limited.)
Notably, Gaode Maps does not offer street view.
As for all Chinese mapping tools, satellite imagery is provided by China Siwei Surveying & Mapping Technology, which uses data and imagery from DigitalGlobe, the US company. Gaode Maps for iOS and Android users in China
Gaode Maps is a to Apple Maps. The Apple Maps app automatically switches to using Gaode Maps data (e.g., when global iPhone users travel from overseas to mainland China, or when the iPhone is bought in China).
In many Android phone models sold in China, Gaode Maps is pre-installed instead of Google Maps.
Unless specified, all functions described on this page can be accessed without registering for an account.
After searching in or Chinese characters, select the layer or function.
On the web browser view, a reference number is shown at the bottom left, e.g., GS(2025)1234. The year refers to when the map was approved for publication by China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping.
Gaode Maps does not offer street view (the function was removed several years ago), making the tool less directly useful for geolocation.
The app provides global data for over 200 countries, including street maps, route navigation (driving, public transportation, or walking) and business locations. Here's an example:
Business owners from any country could add their locations and information onto AMap (for instance, to attract Chinese travellers who may visit their countries).
Within AMap, if you search for a specific location, the coordinates are shown in the URL, in longitude-latitude format.
User-generated reviews are available in the mobile app only (without account login).
The English version is only available as mobile app. In your app store, search "AMap Global", download and install.
Functions not available in the English mobile app:
Map data from outside of China
User-generated reviews and photos originally posted in Chinese
Web: any modern web browser
Mobile: iOS or Android (or HarmonyOS). Globally available. User accounts can be set up with international phone numbers.
No street view
Language barrier: In the web version, the user interface is only available in Chinese.
Bellingcat Volunteer Team
(According to Article 15 of the Mapping Administration Regulation, 2015, all maps for public dissemination must be approved by the relevant government body. Exceptions are made for maps of tourist destinations and metro lines. For reference, see the in Chinese or this 2018 in English.)
For background: China uses a coordinate system called (colloquially known as Mars coordinates), whereas the rest of the world uses (Earth coordinates). GCJ-02 uses an encryption algorithm to apply random offsets to the latitude and longitude of locations. Obfuscating the geographic data is for .
If you use Google Maps, the coordinates you obtain for China are already in the GCJ-02 system, though in latitude-longitude format. Please note that in Chinese mapping tools, coordinates are shown with longitude first. To search for a location in Gaode Maps using coordinates, go to , select the option to search by coordinates, and enter the coordinates in longitude-latitude format.
API documentation for and are available. (Enter coordinates in the code template to see the 3D map of the location you're searching for.)
Gaode Maps, using the international branding "AMap", is the only Chinese mapping tool that offers a full English language interface in its mobile version. In comparison, provides maps globally in its Chinese interface, whereas provides only maps for China.
Gaode Maps does not offer street view imagery. Instead, researchers can see Baidu Maps for a more comprehensive set of street view images, and check Tencent Maps for images from roughly 5 to 7 years prior. Resulting from a , older street view imagery captured by SOSO Maps (now defunct mapping tool) was integrated into Tencent Maps.
API: Individuals must , including providing their ID and Alipay account. Individual developer accounts can only be used for educational or nonprofit purposes, and not for commercial purposes. This is strictly enforced. If claiming educational or nonprofit status, users may be asked to provide government-approved supporting documents.
Barriers accessing the API. Although not explicitly stated in , non-Chinese citizens and companies may have difficulty setting up a developer account due to requirements of identification and/or supporting documents.
Geographical barriers: and there are . Overseas users may experience slower speeds and more frequent prompts to login.
See the Bellingcat toolkit's page for some general caveats when working with maps and satellite imagery, including a general discussion on censorship and content control.
Gaode Maps (as seen in its former name AutoNavi) needed to . Such surveying and mapping data are in China.
Privacy Concerns: Like many mapping services, Gaode Maps gathers user data, raising concerns about user privacy. (An named all leading Chinese mapping tools among 33 apps for extensively collecting user data, beyond what is relevant to their service provision.)
Alibaba Group - China
