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  "path": "/index.php/2026/04/07/download-server-update/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-07T21:08:34.000Z",
  "site": "https://blog.geofabrik.de",
  "tags": [
    "format specification PDF;"
  ],
  "textContent": "We’ve recently added **GeoPackage (gpkg) files** to the download server, in addition to the shape files we’re already offering. This seems to be a popular addition; over half of the previous shape file download traffic has already migrated to the newer GeoPackage format – combining all layers in a single file, GeoPackage is more convenient than the old shape format.\n\nBut there’s more: We have updated the layer structure in the shape and GeoPackage files to include more data. You can review the details in our format specification PDF; the most important news is that the free data sets now contain an **administrative area layer** which was previously only available in the paid data sets*.\n\nWe’ve also added a protected areas layer and many POIs, but taken great care not to upset things too much so that people shouldn’t have to re-tool their processing chains built for previous versions of our shape files. Enjoy!\n\n(*) Note that OSM doesn’t have a hierarchy of admin levels (i.e. city X is in county Y is in state Z) by default, and neither are boundaries clipped along the coastline. Administrative area shape files that have these extra features are available from us commercially.",
  "title": "Download Server Update"
}