GIS and Mapping

SVG is a powerful technology when applied to GIS (Geographic Information Systems) applications.

• SVG is an open, HTTP compatible standard that allows fully interactive mapping applications - without the need for applets or a round trip to the server every time the map presentation is tweaked.

• SVG enables maps that are informative. SVG supports rich graphical features, vector and raster content and the ability to handle a very large amount of data.

• SVG empowers distributed GIS processing, by off-loading the interactive aspects of GIS from the server to the client and combines this interactivity with very high quality output capabilities.

• SVG is a perfect complement to the OpenGIS consortium's GML format. GML, also XML-based, describes geographical elements such as rivers and roads. It can be converted into SVG using an XML pipeline for online display.

Here is an example of a map of USA population created using SVG integrated with GIS technology. (Source: Carto:net)

Please install the SVG Viewer Plug-in to view the map.

(Source: Carto:net - US Population - Ethnic and Age Distribution)

Click on image to see the SVG map.