Juhi Acharya

Download United States of America Administrative Boundary Shapefiles – States, Counties, Reservation Lands and more

Hello GIS enthusiasts, IGISMAP has now published the latest GIS vector data of USA administrative levels. Links for downloading the shapefiles of the important administrative divisions of USA are provided in the following. You can also download these data in KML, GeoJSON or CSV formats.

Note:

All data available are in GCS datum EPSG:4326 WGS84 CRS (Coordinate Reference System).
You need to login for downloading the shapefile.

Download Shapefile Data of USA

The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territories, 326 Indian reservations, and some minor possessions. At 3.8 million square miles (9.8 million square kilometers), it is the world’s third- or fourth-largest country by total area. The United States shares significant land borders with Canada to the north and Mexico to the south as well as limited maritime borders with the Bahamas, Cuba, and Russia. With a population of more than 331 million people, it is the third most populous country in the world. The national capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City.

United States of America GIS Data - National Boundary — USA National Boundary

Download USA National Outline Boundary Shapefile

Download USA States Shapefile Data

The United States of America is a federal republic consisting of 50 states, a federal district (Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States), five major territories, and various minor islands. The 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., are in North America between Canada and Mexico. Alaska is an exclave in the far northwestern part of North America, connected only to Canada, and Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. Territories of the United States are scattered throughout the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

According to the numerous decisions of the United States Supreme Court, the 50 individual states and the United States as a whole are each sovereign jurisdictions.[4] The states are not administrative divisions of the country; the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution allows states to exercise all powers of government not delegated to the federal government.

States:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Territories and Islands

District of Columbia
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Puerto Rico
United States Virgin Islands
American Samoa
Guam

United States of America GIS Data - State Boundaries — USA State Boundaries

Download USA State Boundaries Shapefile

Download USA Counties Shapefile Data

In the United States, a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic region with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. Most counties have subdivisions which may include townships, municipalities and unincorporated areas. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas. The following is a list of the 3,233 counties and county-equivalents in the 50 states and District of Columbia sorted by U.S. state, plus an additional 100 county-equivalents in the U.S. territories sorted by territory.

United States of America GIS Data - County Boundaries — USA County Boundaries

Download USA County Boundaries Shapefile

Download USA Native American Reservation Lands Shapefile Data

The Indian reservation system was created to keep Native Americans off of lands that European Americans wished to settle. The reservation system allowed indigenous people to govern themselves and to maintain some of their cultural and social traditions. The Dawes Act of 1887 destroyed the reservation system by subdividing tribal lands into individual plots.

Following classes of land reservation are established in USA

Indian Reservation Area
Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas
Hawaiian Home Lands
Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas
State Recognized Reservations
State Designated Tribal Statistical Areas
Tribal Designated Statistical Areas

There are 326 Indian Reservations in the United States.[1] Most of the tribal land base in the United States was set aside by the federal government as Native American Reservations. In California, about half of its reservations are called rancherías. In New Mexico, most reservations are called Pueblos. In some western states, notably Nevada, there are Native American areas called Indian colonies.

Alaska Natives previously had many small reserves scattered around Alaska; however, all but one (the Annette Island Reserve of Tsimshian) were repealed with the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971.

There are Hawaiian home land, area held in trust for Native Hawaiians by the state of Hawaii under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921.

Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Area is a statistical entity identified and delineated by federally recognized American Indian tribes in Oklahoma as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 Census and ongoing American Community Survey.

A state designated American Indian reservation is the land area designated by a state for state-recognized American Indian tribes who lack federal recognition.

A tribal designated statistical area is a statistical entity identified and delineated for the Census Bureau by a federally recognized American Indian tribe that does not currently have a federally established Indian reservation.

United States of America GIS Data - Native American Reservation Land Boundaries — USA Native American Reservation Land Boundaries

Download USA Native American Reservation Land Boundaries Shapefile

Other Administrative Boundary Data:

USA Demographic Data:

Download Free Shapefile for the following:

Check the GIS Data collection for USA states:

Disclaimer : If you find any shapefile data of country provided is in correct do contact us or comment below, so that we will correct the same in our system as well we will try to correct the same in OSM.

Use Sentinel hub in QGIS 3.2.1 – Remote Sensing

Sentinel Hub is perfect source for satellite data. Here in this post we are providing pictorial tutorial on how to use sentinel hub in QGIS 3.2.1. You can also download Sentinel without using plugin check download free satellite images from satellite.

You can view your image in our tool MAPOG Tool (supports geotiff)

Use Sentinel hub in QGIS 3.2.1 – Procedure

Sentinel hub plugin helps you to confiqure directly the sentinel hub images in qgis. It makes your study more easy.

Go to Plugins in QGIS window and tap on manage and install plugins.

2. Search and select Sentinel Hub and install it

3. After installing Sentinel Hub, Sentinel hub plugin icon will be visible on toolbar.

4. Click on Sentinel Hub Plugin icon. Following will window open. Now fill your instance ID .

5. You can find your instance id at Sentinel Hub Configuration Utility. If you don’t have account on Sentinel Hub, you can apply for trial account of sentinel hub . And take benefit of its service for some days.

6. You can add new configuration according to your requirement. Also able to create configuration from existing one like simple WMS instance. You can use template instances like sentinel-1 template, digital elevation model, full landsat- 8 instance etc.

7. After instance id you can fill other parameters for rendering. Select the layer for required instance. Also select the CRS (Coordinate Reference System). Select the the time range or exact date.

8. It will take time but image will be turn up on QGIS canvas.

9. After rendering you can also download the image in different formats i.e. PNG, JPEG, 8-bit TIFF etc. You can set resolution and also can save current visible window or custom window.

This all about how to use sentinel hub in QGIS 3.2.1. If you face any problem in this do comment. Any suggestions and feedback are welcomed.

More from us:

Download free satellite image from sentinel – Remote Sensing

Need satellite images for research and study then you landed at right location. Today we learn how to download free satellite images from sentinel 1, 2 and sentinel 3 for QGIS. If you are new to QGIS 3.2.1 then check our previous article QGIS for beginner.

Download free satellite images from sentinel

Sentinel Satellite

Sentinel is developed under copernicus programme which is maintained and co-funded by European Union and ESA. (European Space Agency). Sentinel 1A was successfully launched 3rd april 2014. It will do Earth observation and keep the satellite data. Sentinel Hub is the cloud based open access GIS hub for management and analysis of satellite data. Lets start

Go to SCI Hub tap on open hub. Following screen will appear.

If you are new then sign up otherwise click on login
After login, Select the area whose satellite data you require. You can select by choosing box provided on the screen.

After selection go to search bar and tap for advanced search. Screen provided below.

Advance search box is given below. Change the sort by to sensing date. Give the date in the sensing period. And then choose the mission, click on search.

Following search result will appear.

Now the download the appropriate result. You can view the data by clicking on view the product.

You can view the images before downloading.Now you are ready to download image. It will be in jpeg format for qgis it would e suitable as Geotiff.This all about download free satellite image from sentinel. We try our best by pictorial representation. Hope it will work for you. Any suggestion or feedback are welcome.

Try your hands also on: what is GIS, Connection between PostGIS and QGIS,

Use Sentinel Hub in QGIS

QGIS 3.2.1- Download/export map in PDF, SVG, Image

In the previous session we learn about creating basic map. Today we throw light on QGIS 3.2.1- Download/export map in PDF, SVG, Image.

Try our tool for creating interactive maps without writing a single code. MapOG Tool

QGIS 3.2.1- Download/export map

First add a vector layer from exercise data (we are using). If want to use data from other sources like Google Map or bing.

Or else download sample data for study-

QGIS allows you to create multiple map from single layer. For creating map layout. Go to project >>>New print layout

Once you choose New Print Layout a dialog box will appear for a tittle.

A new screen will be open for map layout. Add a new map to the layout from left side icon from tool box.

Or, Add item>> Add Map and hold the left mouse button and drag the rectangle. Map will be rendered on the layout.

QGIS 3.2.1 – Adding a tittle

Your map is looking good but without tittle it seems like food without salt. So, lets add some elements in map.

Click on this icon for adding tittle.
Click on the page, move near the map where you want to place tittle. A dummy text will be shown “lorem ipsum” as a default. You can change text by first selecting item and then expand the label tab in layer properties. You can enter text as html also.

You can Resize the label according to your choice.

QGIS – Adding Legend

For making the map more understandable to the readers you can add legend. Go to Add item and tap add legend or by selecting the icon.

And click on the page, where you want to place it.

QGIS – Add a scalebar

Go to Add item and select add scale bar.

Click on the layout where you want to put scale. You can customize it in item properties. (make sure to select the item first)

QGIS – Export Map as SVG, Image and PDF

Try MapOG Tool for creating beautiful map and export map into PDF and Image

When you finally done with all the requirements of map, you can easily export map by buttons provided in the layout toolbar. If you want to print then it also can done with print button.

You can exports as following formats:

Export as Image
Export as SVG
Export as PDF

You can export map as image in PNG, BMP, CUR, TIFF, JPEG etc.

SVG format is best for cartographer because editing of map require for publication. SVG stands for “Scalable Vector Graphic”.

PDF format is easy going for clients so that they get print the pdf if they require.

So, today we learn about the print layout map option in QGIS 3.2.1. If you encounter any problem in doing then comment.

Also Check: Pin/unpin, move label and diagram in QGIS, Select, save feature as new layer in QGIS

Pin/unpin labels, move labels and diagrams, resize labels of layer using QGIS 3.2.1

In the previous article Layer labeling in QGIS we learn about the basic labeling of layer. Today in this session we touch Pin/unpin labels, move labels and diagrams, resize labels of layer using QGIS 3.2.1

Resize labels of layer

In the map you find find that the labels are not appropriately formatted and either overlap or are too far away from their point markers. You can change label font size in points/mm/pixels.

Go to the Layer styling

You can reach layer styling dialog box by three ways:

Choosing layer icon on label toolbar or by choosing labeling from layer menu and third by right click on layer.

Increase and decrease font size.

Move labels and Diagrams

Choose Move label icon from layer styling panel. Before this make sure toggle editing is activated.

After choosing, you are able to move label or diagram on canvas of QGIS. By this method you can move labels individually. Its quite time consuming if we want to shift or move labels.

For all the labels go to Labels > Placement

You can change the value of distance and click apply.

Change Labels or Rename

Select change label icon from label toolbar

After activating go to the label and drag

Change the label and click on apply.

Print your labelled Map

Pin/unpin Label in Qgis

Pinning means label at its current position. You can choose pin and unpin from icon from label tool bar. You can highlight the pinned label.

View attribute table

QGIS 3.2.1 for beginners

This all on Pin/unpin labels, move labels and diagrams, resize labels of layer using QGIS 3.2.1. Let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Furthermore on QGIS:

Add/Export basemaps from google or bing – QGIS 3.2.1

With the release of new version of QGIS, many new features are implemented like new zipped project files, geometry and advanced map tool. So today we learn how to add/export basemaps from google or bing – QGIS 3.2.1 .

You can also create basic map in QGIS 3.2.1

Adding Basemaps from Google or Bing

Add Google Map layer and print them in QGIS 3.2.1 by following steps:

Go to Browser Panel. If you are new to QGIS 3.2.1 then check Add Browser Panel.

Right Click on XYZ tiles, Choose New connection. XYZ tile server provider has a UX enhancements for tiled services.

Enter the name for example: Google Map then copy and paste the URL given below. And tap on OK. Enter the URL of the service which you would like to use, replacing x, y and z parts with curly brackets substitution

URL for adding basemaps from different sources:

For Google Map: https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=r&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}

Google Satellite: https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=s&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}

For Bing aerial: http://ecn.t3.tiles.virtualearth.net/tiles/a{q}.jpeg?g=1

Google Roads: https://mt1.google.com/vt/lyrs=m&x={x}&y={y}&z={z}

In the same way you can add from bing map by putting above URL. Hope this may help you. If you like the post please comment and share. All suggestions are welcome.

Furthermore, you can also check:

Select, Save/Export feature as a new layer using QGIS 3.2.1

Learn how to select, save/export feature as a new layer using QGIS 3.2.1 by following expeditious tutorial.

Are you newbie QGIS 3.2.1 user check QGIS 3.2.1 for beginners

Selection of Features in QGIS 3.2.1

Add a new vector layer and create a project. In the tutorial we used world continents shapefile. You can do selection by two ways. First option click select feature icon. Choose select features and select the required layer from multiple layer.

Selected screen is shown below.

Second method of selection is for very precise value.

>> Select Features by Expresion. Dialog box of selection by expression will open.

Generate Query in QGIS 3.2.1

Before generating the query you can check attribute table in QGIS. Select the field and values then tap on all uniques and select the desired value. We generated for Australian region “NAME_0” = ‘Australia’

Export or Save into new layer

For Save as, right click on layer >> click on export and choose selected feature as

After choosing save selected feature as… dialog box will appear. Choose correct location where you want to save. Otherwise QGIS will give error message like failed to save.

Method of open exported new layer

For open and view exported file click Open and view vector data

This all about the Select, Save/Export feature as a new layer using QGIS 3.2.1. I tried my best by pictorial explanation. I hope this would help you. Any suggestion or feedback are welcome.

How to do layer labeling in QGIS 3.2.1 – use and change label

Map is not just a picture in GIS, they represent several hidden information of objects. So in the upcoming days we try to understand it more and unearth the hidden data. After creating Basic Map, today we try our hands on layer labeling in QGIS 3.2.1 – use and change label. For extracting more information about the object we do labeling. It makes the layer interactive.

Need Data for study then Download Shapefile of Australia and United States Shapefile

layer labeling in QGIS 3.2.1

Labels are for providing more information about the object. This layer property depends on the attributes of the layer. So, lets start

How to get label dialog box

You can reach Layer Labeling dialog box by 2 ways:

By right click the layer >> Properties>> label (icon shown below)Or, Go to layer menu, select labeling.

Above map is not looking so attractive and informative.

In Labeling Dialog Box, it will show no label.
Click over it and select Single labels
Now come to the Label with (here you need to choose the field from attributes which is to be labeled). In the previous blog you learnt that. View attribute table
Lets select Name_0 from the drop down list.
Customize Font and Size.
Click Apply (live updates are available)

Now the map of continent is label like this.

So, this makes your map more informative. But still above map is not looking so good because off overlapping labels. These label are not placed in centre of object also. Multiple labels are also can be done in QGIS.

Creating a Basic Map – QGIS

QGIS 3.2.1 works well for creating interactive maps, using good set of tools and symbology its become easy to implement. In the previous post we learn how to open and view vector data. So, today we are Creating a Basic Map – QGIS. For creating basic map we work with the vector data. Vector data is very common data format it describes the information in points, lines and polygons.

Creating a Basic Map: Adding vector layer

If you are not familiar with QGIS user interface then check our previous article QGIS 3.2.1 GUI

Open QGIS, we have a new blank map.
Add vector layer by choosing the icon.

In the dialog box, click on the Browse button. And navigate to the exercise data. (before using make sure to download the Exercise data)
Select the appropriate file, let say select road.shp
Here you are, this is your basic map
Save the project.

View attributes

If you are absolute beginners then question comes in your mind what is attributes. No worries when we are here, attributes is a data which store information about spatial data. It gives where, what and why about spatial data in tabular form.

So for roads, the layer we loaded in our basic map we will view its attributes. ->> Click on this icon for opening attribute table or you can use F6 or Go to Layer>> Open attribute table.

->> This attribute table provides more data about road layer, the lines that you see in the map are spatial data. These lines represents the roads.

Current basic map is not so easy to read. We will make it more understandable and interactive using Symbology (use of symbol).

Symbology

In the cartography design, symbology is technique to use symbols to represent graphic features of map. Visual appearance is very much important. Follow the steps for making your map more attractive –

Click two times on layer>> Layer properties dialog box will appear. Select symbology OR right on the layer>> click the layer properties in the menu. Symbology window shown below.

This all the creating a basic map – QGIS. Symbology is useful but the information contained in the layer is still hidden. In the next blog we will learn how to represent this data on map.

Hope it will be useful for GIS professional. Suggestions and feedback are most welcomed.

QGIS 3.4.4 open and view vector data

In GIS , geographic features are often expressed in multiple data formats. Vector and raster data are prime data formats. In this post you will know about QGIS 3.4.4 open and view vector file – shapefile, kml, dxf, geosjon etc. Vector describes geographic data into three types of geometry. Data represented in terms of points, line and polygon.

Use MapOG Tool for creating map

QGIS 3.4.4 open and view vector data

Before using QGIS user interface we can add or remove panel by right click on toolbar. We can also do this in view menu. Enable browser panel and layer panel.

Click the “Add Vector Layer” icon Or use “Layer” menu from the toolbar and navigate to “Add Layer” -> “Add Vector Layer”.

Set the Source Type to “File” and Encoding to “System”.

In most cases system encoding is fine but if you find strange characters in attributes table then you have to change appropriate encoding.

Click “Browse” and navigate to the appropriate files, using the appropriate
file types.
You can select and deselect layer from layer panel. Adjust the layer order by clicking and dragging layers up and down in the “Layers” panel.
You can move by Pan Map icon or you can find Pan Map in view menu

Export your saved map as SVG – Scalable Vector Graphics

Selection of feature for editing

If you want to change any feature then choose Select Feature(s) and move feature to entire feature, where you want to do changes.

To save the project click the “Save” icon and designate a file location. When you re-open a project, any layers that you were using should be in the same
locations on your computer; if they are not, you will need to re-designate the appropriate file paths.

Check out step by step approach in video provided below:

Want to Extract a feature from existing shapefile.

Our goal is to provide new users a working knowledge of QGIS. Although we only had time for a handful of operations, I hope that you now have sufficient familiarity with QGIS to explore it further on your own. If you face any problem in implementing above steps please comment. Any suggestion are welcome.

You also publish your data on web without using QGIS visit MapOG Tool

Furthermore on QGIS tutorial please explore: