• Elevation
  Elevation
  The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
  
   data, either in raster
  Raster graphics
  In computer graphics, a raster graphics image, or bitmap, is a data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of pixels, or points of color, viewable via a monitor, paper, or other display medium...
  
   or vector
  Vector graphics
  Vector graphics is the use of geometrical primitives such as points, lines, curves, and shapes or polygon, which are all based on mathematical expressions, to represent images in computer graphics...
  
   (e.g., contour line
  Contour line
  A contour line of a function of two variables is a curve along which the function has a constant value. In cartography, a contour line joins points of equal elevation above a given level, such as mean sea level...
  
  s) form
• Shape layers, usually expressed as line drawings, for streets, postal zone boundaries, etc.
• Coordinate system descriptions.
• One or more data describing the precise shape of the Earth
  Earth
  Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
  
   assumed by the coordinates.

Raster formats

• ADRG - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s ARC Digitized Raster Graphics
• BIL - Band Interleaved by Line (image format linked with satellite derived imagery)
• CADRG
  Cadrg
  Čadrg is a settlement in the Municipality of Tolmin in the Littoral region of Slovenia. It lies within Triglav National Park.- External links :*...
  
  - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s Compressed ARC Digitised Raster Graphics (nominal compression of 55:1 over ADRG)
• ECRG - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s Enhanced Compressed ARC Raster Graphics (Better resolution than CADRG and no color loss)
• CIB
  Controlled Image Base
  Controlled Image Base or CIB is unclassified digital imagery, produced to support mission planning and command, control, communications, and intelligence systems. CIB is used as a map substitute for emergencies and crises in the event that maps do not exist or are outdated...
  
  - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s Controlled Image Base (type of Raster Product Format)
• Digital raster graphic
  Digital raster graphic
  A digital raster graphic is a digital image resulting from scanning a paper USGS topographic map for use on a computer. DRGs created by USGS are typically scanned at 250 dpi and saved as a TIFF. The raster image usually includes the original border information, referred to as the "map collar". ...
  
  (DRG) - digital scan of a paper USGS topographic map
  Topographic map
  A topographic map is a type of map characterized by large-scale detail and quantitative representation of relief, usually using contour lines in modern mapping, but historically using a variety of methods. Traditional definitions require a topographic map to show both natural and man-made features...
  
  
• ECW
  ECW (file format)
  ECW is a proprietary wavelet compression image format optimized for aerial and satellite imagery. It was developed by Earth Resource Mapping, and is now owned by ERDAS, which is owned by Intergraph...
  
  - Enhanced Compressed Wavelet (from ERDAS). A compressed wavelet format, often lossy.
• Esri grid
  ESRI grid
  An Esri grid is a raster GIS file format developed by Esri, which has two formats:#A proprietary binary format, also known as an ARC/INFO GRID, ARC GRID and many other variations...
  
  - proprietary binary and metadataless ASCII
  ASCII
  The American Standard Code for Information Interchange is a character-encoding scheme based on the ordering of the English alphabet. ASCII codes represent text in computers, communications equipment, and other devices that use text...
  
   raster formats used by Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
  
• GeoTIFF
  GeoTIFF
  GeoTIFF is a public domain metadata standard which allows georeferencing information to be embedded within a TIFF file. The potential additional information includes map projection, coordinate systems, ellipsoids, datums, and everything else necessary to establish the exact spatial reference for...
  
  - TIFF variant enriched with GIS relevant metadata
• IMG - ERDAS IMAGINE
  ERDAS IMAGINE
  ERDAS IMAGINE is a remote sensing application with raster graphics editor capabilities designed by ERDAS for geospatial applications. The latest version is 2010, version 10.1. ERDAS IMAGINE is aimed primarily at geospatial raster data processing and allows the user to prepare, display and enhance...
  
   image file format
• JPEG2000 - Open-source raster format. A compressed format, allows both lossy and lossless compression.
• MrSID
  MrSID
  -External links:* from LizardTech's website...
  
  - Multi-Resolution Seamless Image Database (by Lizardtech). A compressed wavelet format, often lossy.
• netCDF
  NetCDF
  NetCDF is a set of software libraries and self-describing, machine-independent data formats that support the creation, access, and sharing of array-oriented scientific data. The project homepage is hosted by the Unidata program at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research...
  
  -CF - netCDF file format with CF medata conventions for earth science data. Binary storage in open format with optional compression. Allows for direct web-access of subsets/aggregations of maps through OPeNDAP
  OPeNDAP
  OPeNDAP, an acronym for "Open-source Project for a Network Data Access Protocol", is a data transport architecture and protocol widely used by earth scientists. The protocol is based on HTTP and the current specification is . OPeNDAP includes standards for encapsulating structured data, annotating...
  
   protocol.

Vector formats

• Geography Markup Language
  Geography Markup Language
  The Geography Markup Language is the XML grammar defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium to express geographical features. GML serves as a modeling language for geographic systems as well as an open interchange format for geographic transactions on the Internet...
  
  (GML) - XML based open standard (by OpenGIS) for GIS data exchange
• Keyhole Markup Language
  Keyhole Markup Language
  Keyhole Markup Language is an XML notation for expressing geographic annotation and visualization within Internet-based, two-dimensional maps and three-dimensional Earth browsers. KML was developed for use with Google Earth, which was originally named Keyhole Earth Viewer. It was created by...
  
  (KML) - XML based open standard (by OpenGIS) for GIS data exchange
• AutoCAD DXF
  AutoCAD DXF
  AutoCAD DXF is a CAD data file format developed by Autodesk for enabling data interoperability between AutoCAD and other programs....
  
  - Contour elevation plots in AutoCAD
  AutoCAD
  AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...
  
   DXF format
• Shapefile
  Shapefile
  The Esri Shapefile or simply a shapefile is a popular geospatial vector data format for geographic information systems software. It is developed and regulated by Esri as a open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other software products.Shapefiles spatially describe geometries:...
  
  - Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
  's open, hybrid vector data format using SHP, SHX and DBF files
• Simple Features
  Simple Features
  Simple feature access , is both an OpenGIS and ISO Standard that specifies a common storage model of geographical data using well-known text . The geometries are also associated with spatial reference systems...
  
  - Open Geospatial Consortium
  Open Geospatial Consortium
  The Open Geospatial Consortium , an international voluntary consensus standards organization, originated in 1994. In the OGC, more than 400 commercial, governmental, nonprofit and research organizations worldwide collaborate in a consensus process encouraging development and implementation of open...
  
   specification for vector data
• MapInfo TAB format
  MapInfo TAB format
  The MapInfo TAB format is a popular geospatial vector data format for geographic information systems software. It is developed and regulated by MapInfo as a proprietary format.-File components:...
  
  - MapInfo
  MapInfo
  MapInfo Corporation, initially incorporated as Navigational Technologies Incorporated, was a leading Location Intelligence and GIS company, headquartered in North Greenbush, New York. It was acquired on April 19, 2007 by Pitney Bowes, and on January 28, 2009, the name of division of Pitney Bowes it...
  
  's vector data format using TAB, DAT, ID and MAP files
• National Transfer Format (NTF) - National Transfer Format (mostly used by the UK Ordnance Survey)
• TIGER
  Tiger
  The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
  
  - Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing
• Cartesian coordinate system
  Cartesian coordinate system
  A Cartesian coordinate system specifies each point uniquely in a plane by a pair of numerical coordinates, which are the signed distances from the point to two fixed perpendicular directed lines, measured in the same unit of length...
  
  (XYZ) - Simple point cloud
• Vector Product Format
  Vector Product Format
  Vector Product Format is a military standard for vector-based digital map products produced by the U.S. Department of Defense . It has been adopted as part of DIGEST in the form of Vector Relational Format , so VPF can be considered to be an international standard as well.-External links:*...
  
  - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s format of vectored data for large geographic databases.
• GeoMedia
  GeoMedia
  GeoMedia is the technology, suite of software components in Intergraph Corporation's geographic information system and family of software products that include: GeoMedia Objects, GeoMedia Viewer , GeoMedia, GeoMedia Professional, GeoMedia WebMap, GeoMedia WebMap Professional and others...
  
  - Intergraph
  Intergraph
  Intergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,...
  
  's Microsoft Access
  Microsoft Access
  Microsoft Office Access, previously known as Microsoft Access, is a relational database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of...
  
   based format for spatial vector storage.
• ISFC - Intergraph
  Intergraph
  Intergraph Corporation is an American software development and services company. It provides enterprise engineering and geospatially powered software to businesses, governments, and organizations around the world. Intergraph operates through two divisions: Process, Power & Marine and Security,...
  
  's MicroStation
  Microstation
  MicroStation is a CAD software product for 2- and 3-dimensional design and drafting, developed and sold by Bentley Systems. The latest versions of the software are released solely for Microsoft Windows operating systems, but historically MicroStation was available for Macintosh platforms and a...
  
   based CAD solution attaching vector elements to a relational Microsoft Access
  Microsoft Access
  Microsoft Office Access, previously known as Microsoft Access, is a relational database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of...
  
   database
• Personal Geodatabase - Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
  's closed, integrated vector data storage strategy using Microsoft
  Microsoft
  Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
  
  's Access
  Microsoft Access
  Microsoft Office Access, previously known as Microsoft Access, is a relational database management system from Microsoft that combines the relational Microsoft Jet Database Engine with a graphical user interface and software-development tools. It is a member of the Microsoft Office suite of...
  
   MDB format
• File Geodatabase - Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
  's file-based geodatabase format, stored as folders in a file system. Esri also has an enterprise Geodatabase format for use in an RDBMS.
• Coverage
  Coverage data
  In geographic information systems, a coverage is a mapping of one aspect of data in space. It represents a "domain" in terms of characteristics expressing a range of values. For example: a satellite image derived from remote sensing might record varying degrees of light pollution...
  
  - Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
  's closed, hybrid vector data storage strategy. Legacy ArcGIS Workstation / ArcInfo
  ArcInfo
  ArcInfo is a full-featured geographic information system produced by Esri, and is the highest level of licensing in the ArcGIS Desktop product line. It was originally a command-line based system...
  
   format with reduced support in ArcGIS Desktop lineup
• Spatial Data File
  Spatial data file
  A spatial data file is a single-user geodatabase file format developed by Autodesk. The file format is the native spatial data storage format for Autodesk GIS programs MapGuide and AutoCAD Map 3D. The current format version is SDF3 , which is a single file...
  
  - Autodesk
  Autodesk
  Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational corporation that focuses on 3D design software for use in the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media and entertainment industries. The company was founded in 1982 by John Walker, a coauthor of the first versions of the company's...
  
  's high-performance geodatabase format, native to MapGuide
• GeoJSON
  GeoJSON
  GeoJSON is an open format for encoding a variety of geographic data structures.It is so named because it is based on JSON...
  
  - a lightweight format based on JSON
  JSON
  JSON , or JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight text-based open standard designed for human-readable data interchange. It is derived from the JavaScript scripting language for representing simple data structures and associative arrays, called objects...
  
  , used by many open source GIS packages
• SOSI Standard - a spatial data format used for all public exchange of spatial data in Norway
• Digital Line Graph
  Digital line graph
  A Digital Line Graph is a cartographic map feature represented in digital vector form that is distributed by the U.S. Geological Survey . DLGs are collected from USGS maps and are distributed in large-, intermediate- and small-scale with up to nine different categories of features, depending on...
  
  (DLG) - a USGS format for vector data

Grid formats (for elevation)

• USGS DEM
  USGS DEM
  The USGS DEM standard is a geospatial file format developed by the United States Geological Survey for storing a raster-based digital elevation model. It is an open standard, and is used throughout the world...
  
  - The USGS' Digital Elevation Model
• DTED
  DTED
  DTED is a standard of digital datasets which consists of a matrix of terrain elevation values. This standard was originally developed in the 1970s to support aircraft radar simulation and prediction....
  
  - National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States with the primary mission of collecting, analyzing and distributing geospatial intelligence in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency ...
  
   (NGA)'s Digital Terrain Elevation Data
• GTOPO30
  GTOPO30
  GTOPO30 is a digital elevation model for the world, developed by USGS. It has a 30-arc second resolution , and is split into 33 tiles stored in the USGS DEM file format.-See also:* Shuttle Radar Topography Mission...
  
  - Large complete Earth elevation model at 30 arc seconds
• SDTS - The USGS' successor to DEM

Other formats

• Binary Terrain (BT) - The Virtual Terrain Project's Binary Terrain format
• Dual Independent Map Encoding
  Dual Independent Map Encoding
  Dual Independent Map Encoding is an encoding scheme developed by the US Bureau of the Census for efficiently storing geographical data. The committee behind the case study that eventually resulted in DIME was established in 1965, although the term DIME itself was first coined by George Farnsworth...
  
  (DIME) – A historic GIS file format, developed in the 1960s
• Well-known text
  Well-known text
  Well-known text is a text markup language for representing vector geometry objects on a map, spatial reference systems of spatial objects and transformations between spatial reference systems. A binary equivalent, known as well-known binary is used to transfer and store the same information on...
  
  (WKT) – ASCII spatial projection
  Map projection
  A map projection is any method of representing the surface of a sphere or other three-dimensional body on a plane. Map projections are necessary for creating maps. All map projections distort the surface in some fashion...
  
   description (Esri
  ESRI
  Esri is a software development and services company providing Geographic Information System software and geodatabase management applications. The headquarters of Esri is in Redlands, California....
  
   uses a *.prj extension)
• Well-known binary (WKB) - Binary spatial projection description
• World file
  World file
  A world file is a plain text computer data file used by geographic information systems to georeference raster map images. The file specification was introduced by ESRI....
  
  - Georeferencing
  Georeference
  To georeference something means to define its existence in physical space. That is, establishing its location in terms of map projections or coordinate systems. The term is used both when establishing the relation between raster or vector images and coordinates, and when determining the spatial...
  
   a raster image file (e.g. JPEG, BMP)

See also

• Computer file
  Computer file
  A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
  
  
• Datum (geodesy)
• GDAL/OGR
  GDAL
  GDAL is a library for reading and writing raster geospatial data formats, and is released under the permissive X/MIT style free software license by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation. As a library, it presents a single abstract data model to the calling application for all supported formats...
  
  , a library for reading and writing many formats
• Geoinformation
  Geoinformation
  Geoinformation is an abbreviation of geographic information. Geographic information is created by manipulating geographic data in a computerized system. Systems can include computers and networks, standards and protocols for data use and exchange between users within a range of different...
  
  
• Geography portal

External links

• Geo Community - GIS Data Formats
• GIS Lounge
• Safe Software's list of (FME Suppported) GIS Data Formats