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511 essential GIS and location intelligence terms — whether you're new to spatial data or looking to sharpen your vocabulary.
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56 terms found
A basemap is the background reference layer in a web or GIS map that provides geographic context such as roads, terrain, water bodies, and place names. It serves as the spatial canvas on which thematic data layers are overlaid.
A bivariate map displays two data variables simultaneously using a combined color scheme, typically a two-dimensional color matrix. This technique reveals correlations and spatial relationships between variables that single-variable maps cannot show.
A cartogram is a map that distorts the size or shape of geographic areas in proportion to a thematic variable such as population or GDP. By sacrificing geographic accuracy, cartograms highlight data magnitude in a visually striking way.
Cartography is the practice of designing and producing maps to visually represent spatial data. It serves diverse purposes, including navigation, research, and storytelling, combining technical precision with creative design.
Cesium is a cutting-edge platform for creating high-performance, interactive 3D geospatial visualizations on the web. Known for its ability to handle large-scale datasets, it supports applications in urban planning, defense, simulation, and environmental monitoring.
A Cloud-Optimized GeoTIFF (COG) is a GeoTIFF file structured with internal tiling and overviews so that HTTP range requests can retrieve only the portion needed. COGs enable efficient cloud-based access to large raster datasets without downloading entire files.
A cluster map groups nearby point markers into single aggregate symbols at lower zoom levels, expanding them into individual markers as the user zooms in. This technique improves performance and readability when mapping large numbers of points.
A color ramp is a graduated sequence of colors used to represent a range of data values on a map. Choosing an appropriate color ramp is essential for accurately conveying magnitude, direction, and categorical distinctions in geographic visualization.
A contour map uses isolines to connect points of equal elevation, creating a pattern that reveals the shape of the terrain. Contour maps are fundamental in geography, civil engineering, and outdoor navigation.
D3.js Geo is the geographic module of the D3.js data visualization library, providing map projections, path generators, and spherical geometry utilities. It enables developers to build custom, highly interactive geographic visualizations in the browser.
Dashboards are graphical interfaces designed for monitoring, analyzing, and visualizing key metrics. By presenting data in an organized and interactive format, dashboards aid in decision-making processes across industries and functions.
A dasymetric map refines area-based statistical data by incorporating ancillary information such as land use or building footprints to redistribute values within boundaries. This produces a more accurate representation than standard choropleth mapping.
Digital twins are virtual representations of real-world objects or systems, continuously updated with real-time sensor data. They enable simulation, monitoring, and optimization, transforming industries like construction, manufacturing, and urban planning.
A diverging palette is a color scheme that uses two contrasting hues diverging from a neutral midpoint, ideal for visualizing data that has a meaningful center value. It highlights deviations above and below a baseline on maps and charts.
A dot density map places dots within geographic areas to represent the quantity or distribution of a phenomenon. Each dot stands for a defined number of occurrences, revealing spatial patterns of concentration and dispersion.
A geocoding widget is a search interface embedded in a web map that lets users type an address or place name and navigate the map to that location. It integrates geocoding services to translate text queries into geographic coordinates in real time.
A geospatial PDF is a PDF document that embeds coordinate reference system information, allowing users to measure distances, find coordinates, and toggle layers within standard PDF reader software. It bridges GIS and document workflows.
Geovisualization is the practice of using interactive, visual methods to explore, analyze, and communicate geospatial data patterns. It goes beyond static map display by enabling dynamic querying, filtering, and multi-view analysis to support knowledge discovery.
A graduated color map assigns color classes to features based on quantitative data ranges, using a progression of hues or saturation levels. This technique helps viewers quickly distinguish between value brackets across geographic areas.
Map animation presents temporal changes in geographic data as a sequence of frames or continuous transitions. Animated maps help viewers perceive trends, cycles, and spatial dynamics that are difficult to detect in static representations.
A map inset is a smaller supplementary map placed within or alongside the main map to provide additional context, such as an overview of the broader region or a detailed zoom into a specific area of interest.
A map layout is the arrangement of all visual elements—map frame, legend, scale bar, north arrow, title, and source credits—on a page or screen for presentation. Good layout design ensures readability, hierarchy, and aesthetic balance.
A map legend is the key that explains the meaning of symbols, colors, patterns, and line styles used on a map. An effective legend is essential for correct interpretation of any thematic or reference map.
A map popup is an information window that appears when a user clicks or hovers over a feature on an interactive web map. Popups display attribute data, media, or links, providing on-demand detail without cluttering the map interface.
Map projection families categorize the mathematical methods for transforming the curved Earth surface onto a flat plane. The three principal families—cylindrical, conic, and azimuthal—each preserve different spatial properties and suit different regions and purposes.
The Mapbox Style Specification is a JSON-based format that defines how vector tile data should be rendered visually, including layer ordering, color, line width, label rules, and icon placement. It is the de facto standard for styling web vector maps.
MBTiles is an open specification for storing tiled map data in a single SQLite database file. It provides a portable, compact container for both raster and vector tiles, widely used for offline mapping and tile distribution.
PMTiles is a single-file archive format for tiled map data that supports HTTP range requests, eliminating the need for a dedicated tile server. It simplifies hosting and serving vector or raster tiles from static cloud storage.
A print composer is a GIS tool for designing publication-ready map layouts, arranging map frames, legends, scale bars, titles, and other elements on a virtual page. It bridges geospatial analysis and professional cartographic output.
A proportional symbol map uses symbols scaled in size to represent quantitative data values at specific locations. This technique makes it easy to compare magnitudes across a map, supporting applications in demographics, economics, and environmental science.
Raster tiles are pre-rendered image tiles organized in a pyramid of zoom levels for efficient delivery of map imagery over the web. They form the backbone of many web mapping platforms, providing fast display of satellite imagery and styled basemaps.
A relief map depicts terrain through shading techniques that simulate the appearance of sunlight falling on a three-dimensional surface. Hillshade relief adds depth and readability to elevation data, making landforms intuitively understandable.
A scale bar is a graphic element on a map that visually indicates the relationship between distance on the map and actual distance on the ground. It helps users estimate real-world measurements directly from the map display.
A sequential palette is a color scheme that progresses from light to dark (or low saturation to high saturation) in a single hue family, designed to represent ordered data that ranges from low to high values on maps and charts.
Small multiples display a series of similar maps or charts arranged in a grid, each showing a different subset, time period, or variable. This technique enables rapid visual comparison of spatial patterns without animation or interaction.
A spatial narrative is a storytelling approach that uses geographic context and map-based media to ground a narrative in place. It weaves together location data, maps, text, and multimedia to communicate stories that are inherently tied to where events occur.
A split-screen map displays two or more map views side by side, synchronized in position and zoom level, allowing users to compare different datasets, time periods, or basemap styles simultaneously without losing spatial context.
A story map is an interactive, web-based presentation that combines maps, narrative text, images, and multimedia to communicate a geographic story or analysis. Story maps make complex spatial information accessible and engaging for broad audiences.
An SVG map uses Scalable Vector Graphics—an XML-based web standard—to render geographic features as resolution-independent vector shapes in the browser. SVG maps are ideal for interactive, styleable, and accessible thematic visualizations.
A swipe map uses a draggable divider that reveals one map layer on one side and a different layer on the other, allowing users to interactively compare two datasets at the same location. It is a popular tool for change detection and visual analysis.
A thematic map focuses on a specific subject or theme, such as population density, climate zones, or election results. It uses specialized symbology and color schemes to communicate patterns and relationships within geographic data.
Three.js is a versatile JavaScript library that leverages WebGL to create and display 3D graphics directly in web browsers. It is widely used for interactive 3D visualizations, animations, and simulations in industries ranging from gaming to architecture.
A timeline map combines an interactive map with a temporal slider or timeline control, allowing users to explore how geographic data changes over time. It is widely used for historical analysis, environmental monitoring, and event tracking.
A topographic map represents terrain elevation and landforms using contour lines, shaded relief, and spot heights. These maps are essential for hiking, engineering, military operations, and scientific research in earth sciences.
A web map is an interactive map delivered through a web browser, allowing users to pan, zoom, toggle layers, and query spatial data. Web maps are the foundation of modern online geographic experiences, from navigation apps to analytical dashboards.
Web Graphics Library (WebGL) is a cutting-edge web technology that brings high-performance 3D and 2D graphics rendering to modern browsers without requiring additional plug-ins. It enables developers to create immersive visual experiences directly on the web.