World Countries Shapefile Free Download: A Guide for GIS Users
If you are a GIS user, you probably have encountered shapefiles at some point in your work. Shapefiles are one of the most common and widely used formats for storing and exchanging geospatial vector data. They can represent various types of geographic features, such as points, lines, and polygons, along with their attributes.
In this article, we will explain what a shapefile is, why it is useful for GIS, where you can find and download world countries shapefile data, and how you can use it in different GIS software applications. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of shapefiles and how to use them for your GIS projects.
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What is a shapefile and why is it useful for GIS?
A shapefile is a digital vector storage format for storing the location, shape, and attributes of geographic features. It was developed and regulated by Esri, the leading provider of GIS software and solutions, as a mostly open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other GIS software products.
The components and structure of a shapefile
A shapefile is not a single file, but a collection of files with a common filename prefix, stored in the same directory. The three mandatory files have filename extensions .shp, .shx, and .dbf. The actual shapefile relates specifically to the .shp file, but alone is incomplete for distribution as the other supporting files are required.
The .shp file contains the feature geometry itself.
The .shx file contains a positional index of the feature geometry to allow seeking forwards and backwards quickly.
The .dbf file contains columnar attributes for each shape, in dBase IV format.
There are also some optional files that may accompany a shapefile, such as .prj (projection information), .sbn and .sbx (spatial index), .cpg (code page), .xml (metadata), and others.
The advantages and limitations of a shapefile
A shapefile has some advantages that make it a popular choice for GIS users. Some of these advantages are:
It is simple and easy to use.
It is widely supported by various GIS software applications.
It can store large features with a lot of associated data.
It can handle different types of geometries (point, line, polygon).
However, a shapefile also has some limitations that may affect its performance and functionality. Some of these limitations are:
It lacks the capacity to store topological information.
It has a file size limit of 2 GB.
It does not support null values or long field names.
It does not support multipatch or multipoint geometries, geometries that cross the dateline, or self-intersections in polygons.
Where can you find and download world countries shapefile data?
If you are looking for world countries shapefile data, there are many sources available on the internet that offer free or paid downloads. Here are some examples of websites that provide world countries shapefile data:
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ArcGIS Online: A comprehensive source of shapefiles from Esri
A rcGIS Online is the cloud-based platform for mapping and analysis from Esri. It offers a variety of shapefiles for different themes and regions, such as administrative boundaries, natural features, transportation, demographics, and more. You can browse, preview, and download shapefiles from ArcGIS Online using the following steps:
Go to the ArcGIS Online website and sign in with your account or create a free account if you don't have one.
Click on the Content tab and then click on the Living Atlas button.
On the left panel, click on the Boundaries category and then select the World subcategory.
You will see a list of shapefile datasets for world countries and regions. You can use the filters and search box to narrow down your results.
Click on the dataset that you want to download and then click on the Download button.
You will be prompted to choose a format for your download. Select Shapefile and then click on Download.
You will receive an email with a link to download the shapefile as a zip file. Extract the zip file to access the shapefile components.
StatSilk: A collection of free shapefile maps for various countries and regions
StatSilk is a website that provides interactive data visualization software and tools. It also offers a collection of free shapefile maps for various countries and regions, such as Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, and more. You can download shapefiles from StatSilk using the following steps:
Go to the StatSilk website and click on the Maps tab.
Scroll down to the Free Shapefile Maps section and click on the link that corresponds to the country or region that you want to download.
You will be redirected to a page with a map preview and a download link. Click on the Download link to download the shapefile as a zip file.
Extract the zip file to access the shapefile components.
IGISMAP: A portal for downloading world shapefile data by country
IGISMAP is a portal that provides GIS services and solutions, such as web mapping, geocoding, geoprocessing, spatial analysis, and more. It also provides world shapefile data by country, which you can download for free or with a subscription. You can download shapefiles from IGISMAP using the following steps:
Go to the IGISMAP website and click on the Data tab.
Click on the World Shapefile Data by Country link.
You will see a list of countries with their respective shapefile data. You can use the search box to find your desired country.
Click on the country name to go to its page with more details and a download link.
If you are not a subscriber, you will need to fill out a form with your name and email address to get access to the download link. If you are a subscriber, you can skip this step.
Click on the Download link to download the shapefile as a zip file.
Extract the zip file to access the shapefile components.
How can you use world countries shapefile data in GIS software?
Once you have downloaded your world countries shapefile data, you can use it in various GIS software applications for mapping, analysis, visualization, editing, and more. Here are some examples of GIS software applications that support shapefiles:
ArcGIS Pro: A modern and powerful GIS software suite from Esri
ArcGIS Pro is a desktop GIS software suite from Esri that offers advanced tools and capabilities for 2D and 3D mapping, analysis, editing, sharing, and more. It is part of the ArcGIS platform that integrates with ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS Enterprise.
To use world countries shapefile data in ArcGIS Pro, you can follow these steps:
Open ArcGIS Pro and create or open a project.
In the Catalog pane, browse to the folder where you stored your shapefile components.
Drag and drop the .shp file into your map view or right-click on it and select Add To Current Map.
You will see your shapefile layer added to your map view and your Contents pane. You can change its symbology, label it, apply filters, perform spatial analysis, export it to other formats, and more.
QGIS: A popular and versatile open source GIS software
QGIS is a free and open source GIS software that runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. It offers a rich set of features and functions for 2D and 3D mapping, analysis, editing, sharing, and more. It supports various data formats, including shapefiles.
To use world countries shapefile data in QGIS, you can follow these steps:
Open QGIS and create or open a project.
In the Browser panel, browse to the folder where you stored your shapefile components.
Drag and drop the .shp file into your map canvas or right-click on it and select Add Layer to Project.
You will see your shapefile layer added to your map canvas and your Layers panel. You can change its symbology, label it, apply filters, perform spatial analysis, export it to other formats, and more.
Other GIS software options to consider
Besides ArcGIS Pro and QGIS, there are many other GIS software applications that support shapefiles. Some of them are:
MapInfo Professional: A desktop GIS software from Pitney Bowes that offers tools for mapping, analysis, editing, sharing, and more.
Global Mapper: A low-cost GIS software from Blue Marble Geographics that offers tools for mapping, analysis, conversion, editing, and more.
GRASS GIS: A free and open source GIS software that offers tools for mapping, analysis, modeling, simulation, and more.
ArcView 3.x: An older version of Esri's desktop GIS software that offers tools for mapping, analysis, editing, sharing, and more.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what a shapefile is, why it is useful for GIS, where you can find and download world countries shapefile data, and how you can use it in different GIS software applications. We hope that this article has helped you to understand shapefiles better and how to use them for your GIS projects.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about shapefiles:
What is the difference between a shapefile and a geodatabase?
A shapefile is a file-based vector data format that stores the geometry and attributes of geographic features. A geodatabase is a database-based data model that stores various types of geographic data, such as vector data, raster data, tables, networks, topologies, terrains, etc. A geodatabase can store multiple feature classes in a single file or folder.
How can I convert a shapefile to another format?
You can use various GIS software applications or online tools to convert a shapefile to another format. For example, you can use ArcGIS Pro or QGIS to export a shapefile to formats such as KML (Keyhole Markup Language), GeoJSON (Geospatial JavaScript Object Notation), CSV (Comma-Separated Values), etc. You can also use online tools such as MyGeodata Converter or Mapshaper to convert a shapefile to other formats.
How can I edit a shapefile?
You can use various GIS software applications or online tools to edit a shapefile. For example, you can use ArcGIS Pro or QGIS to edit the geometry and attributes of a shapefile using tools such as Edit Features or Vertex Editor. You can also use online tools such as Geojson.io or Mapshaper to edit a shapefile using tools such as Draw or Simplify.
How can I merge multiple shapefiles into one?
You can use various GIS software applications or online tools to merge multiple shapefiles into one. For example, you can use ArcGIS Pro or QGIS to merge multiple shapefiles using tools such as Merge or Append. You can also use online tools such as MyGeodata Converter or Mapshaper to merge multiple shapefiles using tools such as Union or Combine.
How can I split a shapefile into multiple parts?
You can use various GIS software applications or online tools to split a shapefile into multiple parts. For example, you can use ArcGIS Pro or QGIS to split a shapefile using tools such as Split or Extract. You can also use online tools such as MyGeodata Converter or Mapshaper to split a shapefile using tools such as Clip or Split. 44f88ac181
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