The main objective of the Global Solar Atlas is to provide quick and easy access to solar resource potential and photovoltaic energy data globally, with a click of a mouse. The GIS layers and poster maps showing global, regional, and country resource potential can be found in the Download section. A more detailed description of the data provided, the methodology for estimating solar resource potential and guidance on how to use it, can be found in the Knowledge Base section. The World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, collectively the World Bank Group, have provided this Global Solar Atlas, as well as a series of global, regional, and national GIS data layers and poster maps, to support the expansion of solar energy in our client countries. This work is funded by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank and supported by 13 official bilateral donors. It is part of a global ESMAP initiative on renewable energy resource mapping that includes biomass, small hydro, solar, and wind.