System for storing and retrieving tiled image data. System and method store a record in an image file for each tile at a zoom level, create a lookup table for the record, store a null value in the lookup table when there are no tile records at the row and the column of the lookup table, omit a row from the lookup table when there are no tile records in the table row, create an index file having a null value for each omitted rows, and retrieve an address for a specific tile by seeking the row associated with the record in the index file, reading a value, positioning the lookup table according to the index value if the value is non-null, seeking the column associated with the record, reading an address associated with the record, and retrieving the tile associated with the record at the address.