Two data products and a mapping tool recently released through the NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center operated by CIESIN, provide data on man-made impervious surfaces and urban extents throughout the world, in greater detail than has been previously available. The Human Built-up and Settlement Extent (HBASE) and Global Man-made Impervious Surface (GMIS) data sets can shed new light on patterns of urban and rural development, and help us learn more about how the growth of urban settings may impact the environment and affect the quality of life for humans and all living creatures. Such high-resolution data on urbanization can also inform critical planning and decision making for the impacts of growth, especially in the context of climate change impacts.