GIS file formats

A GIS file format is a standard of encoding geographical information into a file. They are created mainly by government mapping agencies (such as the USGS) or by GIS software developers.

Metadata often includes:

Elevation data, either in raster or vector form (e.g., contours)

Shape layers, usually expressed as line drawings, for streets, postal zone boundaries, etc.

Coordinate system descriptions.

One or more datums describing the precise shape of the Earth assumed by the coordinates.

Popular GIS file formats

USGS DEM - US Geo Survey Digital Elevation Model

SDTS - The USGS' successor to DEM

BIL - Binary Interleave

GTOPO30 - Large "complete Earth" coverage filesets

XYZ - Simple point cloud

GeoTIFF - TIFF variant expressly for GIS data

NTF - UK Ordnance Survey

ASC - Simple ASCII text point cloud format

UKOS DXF Contour - Contour elevation plots in DXF format

ESRI SHP (Shape) - Cartographic vector data with database table lookup association (using DBF and SHX files)

BT - The Virtual Terrain Project's Binary Terrain format

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