geodata

Geodata refers to data that represent locations on the Earth's surface or relate to geographic features. It encompasses spatial attributes such as coordinates, shapes, and topology, and non-spatial attributes describing features. Stored as vector data (points, lines, polygons) or raster data (grids). It relies on a coordinate reference system to specify position on a model of the Earth.

Formats and sources: Common formats include Shapefile, GeoJSON, KML for vector data and GeoTIFF for raster data. Data originate from surveys, GPS measurements, aerial or satellite imagery, and crowdsourced sources like OpenStreetMap. Metadata and standards from organizations like the Open Geospatial Consortium and ISO provide descriptions of data quality, lineage, and interoperability. Data licensing and access policies influence use.

Uses and processing: Geodata underpins geographic information systems (GIS) for mapping, spatial analysis, and decision support. It supports geocoding, georeferencing, routing, buffering, and spatial joins; used in urban planning, transportation, environmental monitoring, agriculture, and disaster response.

Challenges: Quality and uncertainty, varying coordinate systems, data completeness. Interoperability and standards compliance are ongoing issues. Privacy and ethical considerations arise with location data collected from individuals. Data governance involves provenance, lineage, and versioning.