This dataset represents above- and below-ground terrestrial carbon storage (tonnes (t) of C per hectare (ha)) for circa 2010. The dataset was constructed by combining the most reliable publicly available datasets and overlaying them with the ESA CCI landcover map for the year 2010 (ESA, 2017), assigning to each grid cell the corresponding above-ground biomass value from the biomass map that was most appropriate for the grid cell's landcover type. Input carbon datasets were identified through a literature review of existing datasets on biomass carbon in terrestrial ecosystems published in peer-reviewed literature. To determine which datasets to combine to produce the global carbon density map, identified datasets were evaluated based on resolution, accuracy, biomass definition and reference date (see Table 1 in paper cited for further information on datasets selected). After aggregating each selected dataset to a nominal scale of 300 m resolution, forest categories in the CCI ESA