Spatial Data

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What Does Spatial Data Mean?

Spatial data refers to all types of data objects or elements that are present in a geographical space or horizon. It enables the global finding and locating of individuals or devices anywhere in the world.

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Spatial data is also known as geospatial data, spatial information or geographic information.

Techopedia Explains Spatial Data

Spatial data is used in geographical information systems (GIS) and other geolocation or positioning services. Spatial data consists of points, lines, polygons and other geographic and geometric data primitives, which can be mapped by location, stored with an object as metadata or used by a communication system to locate end user devices.

Spatial data may be classified as scalar or vector data. Each provides distinct information pertaining to geographical or spatial locations.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology expert

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.