HydroSHEDS (Hydrological data and maps based on SHuttle Elevation Derivatives at multiple Scales)flow accumulation maps define amount of upstream area (in number of cells) draining into each cell for Africa. Drainage direction layers are used to define which cells flow into the target cell. Cells with a high flow accumulation are areas of concentrated flow and may be used to identify stream channels. The number of accumulated cells is essentially a measure of upstream catchment area. Because cell size of data set depends on latitude, the cell accumulation value cannot directly be translated into drainage areas in square kilometers. This data is derived from elevation data of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) at 15 arc-second approx. 500m at the equator. The goal of developing HydroSHEDS was to generate key data layers to support regional and global watershed analyses, hydrological modeling, and freshwater conservation planning at a quality, resolution and extent that had previously been unachievable. Users may apply HydroSHEDS for non-commercial purposes. We kindly ask users to cite HydroSHEDS in any published material produced using this data. Any modification of the original data by users must be noted. The authors of HydroSHEDS may request reprints of publications and copies of derived materials. The user shall not reproduce, convert, (re)publish, (re)distribute, (re)broadcast, (re)transmit, sell, rent, lease, sublicense, lend, assign, time-share, or transfer, in whole or in part, or provide unlicensed third parties access to the data and related materials without explicit written permission from the authors. For more details see HydroSHEDS Technical Documentation. This layer is presented in the WGS84 coordinate system for web display purposes. Downloadable data are provided in native coordinate system or projection.