U.S. Geological Survey



The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is a national government agency of the United States that was established on March 3, 1879 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. It employs more than 10,000 scientists, technicians, and support staff who work in over 400 locations in every State in the Nation. The USGS boast to be the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency.

Purpose
The primary function of the USGS is to "collect, monitor, analyze, and provide scientific understanding about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems". They carry out large-scale, multi-disciplinary investigations and provide impartial scientific information to resource managers, planners, and other customers.

Mission: serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life.

Vision: USGS has become a world leader in the natural sciences thanks to our scientific excellence and responsiveness to society's needs.

Location
The USGS is organized with a Headquarters and Eastern Region facility in Reston, Virginia. Central Region and Western Region offices are located in Denver, Colorado, and Menlo Park, California, respectively.

Educational Resources
Geology Resources: Biology Resources: Geography Resources:
 * Educational Resources
 * Geology Resources by the USGS
 * Energy Resources by the USGS
 * Mineral Resources by the USGS
 * National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program by the USGS
 * Coastal and Marine Geology Program by the USGS
 * Biology Resources by the USGS
 * Geography Resources by the USGS
 * The National Map Nations topographic map by the USGS
 * GISDATA Map Studio by the USGS