Overview The Office of the Geographer and Global Issues at the U.S. Department of State produces the Large Scale International Boundaries (LSIB) dataset. The current edition is version 11.4 (published 24 February 2025). The 11.4 release contains updated boundary lines and data refinements designed to extend the functionality of the dataset. These data and generalized derivatives are the only international boundary lines approved for U.S. Government use. The contents of this dataset reflect U.S. Government policy on international boundary alignment, political recognition, and dispute status. They do not necessarily reflect de facto limits of control. National Geospatial Data Asset This dataset is a National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDAID 194) managed by the Department of State. It is a part of the International Boundaries Theme created by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. Dataset Source Details Sources for these data include treaties, relevant maps, and data from boundary commissions, as well as national mapping agencies. Where available and applicable, the dataset incorporates information from courts, tribunals, and international arbitrations. The research and recovery process includes analysis of satellite imagery and elevation data. Due to the limitations of source materials and processing techniques, most lines are within 100 meters of their true position on the ground. Cartographic Visualization The LSIB is a geospatial dataset that, when used for cartographic purposes, requires additional styling. The LSIB download package contains example style files for commonly used software applications. The attribute table also contains embedded information to guide the cartographic representation. Additional discussion of these considerations can be found in the Use of Core Attributes in Cartographic Visualization section below. Additional cartographic information pertaining to the depiction and description of international boundaries or areas of special sovereignty can be found in Guidance Bulletins published by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues: https://data.geodata.state.gov/guidance/index.html Contact Direct inquiries to internationalboundaries@state.gov. Direct download: https://data.geodata.state.gov/LSIB.zip Attribute Structure The dataset uses the following attributes divided into two categories: ATTRIBUTE NAME | ATTRIBUTE STATUS CC1 | Core CC1_GENC3 | Extension CC1_WPID | Extension COUNTRY1 | Core CC2 | Core CC2_GENC3 | Extension CC2_WPID | Extension COUNTRY2 | Core RANK | Core LABEL | Core STATUS | Core NOTES | Core LSIB_ID | Extension ANTECIDS | Extension PREVIDS | Extension PARENTID | Extension PARENTSEG | Extension These attributes have external data sources that update separately from the LSIB: ATTRIBUTE NAME | ATTRIBUTE STATUS CC1 | GENC CC1_GENC3 | GENC CC1_WPID | World Polygons COUNTRY1 | DoS Lists CC2 | GENC CC2_GENC3 | GENC CC2_WPID | World Polygons COUNTRY2 | DoS Lists LSIB_ID | BASE ANTECIDS | BASE PREVIDS | BASE PARENTID | BASE PARENTSEG | BASE The core attributes listed above describe the boundary lines contained within the LSIB dataset. Removal of core attributes from the dataset will change the meaning of the lines. An attribute status of “Extension” represents a field containing data interoperability information. Other attributes not listed above include “FID”, “Shape_length” and “Shape.” These are components of the shapefile format and do not form an intrinsic part of the LSIB. Core Attributes The eight core attributes listed above contain unique information which, when combined with the line geometry, comprise the LSIB dataset. These Core Attributes are further divided into Country Code and Name Fields and Descriptive Fields. County Code and Country Name Fields “CC1” and “CC2” fields are machine readable fields that contain political entity codes. These are two-character codes derived from the Geopolitical Entities, Names, and Codes Standard (GENC), Edition 3 Update 18. “CC1_GENC3” and “CC2_GENC3” fields contain the corresponding three-character GENC codes and are extension attributes discussed below. The codes “Q2” or “QX2” denote a line in the LSIB representing a boundary associated with areas not contained within the GENC standard. The “COUNTRY1” and “COUNTRY2” fields contain the names of corresponding political entities. These fields contain names approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) as incorporated in the ‘"Independent States in the World" and "Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty" lists maintained by the Department of State. To ensure maximum compatibility, names are presented without diacritics and certain names are rendered using common cartographic abbreviations. Names for lines associated with the code "Q2" are descriptive and not necessarily BGN-approved. Names rendered in all CAPITAL LETTERS denote independent states. Names rendered in normal text represent dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, or are otherwise presented for the convenience of the user. Descriptive Fields The following text fields are a part of the core attributes of the LSIB dataset and do not update from external sources. They provide additional information about each of the lines and are as follows: ATTRIBUTE NAME | CONTAINS NULLS RANK | No STATUS | No LABEL | Yes NOTES | Yes Neither the "RANK" nor "STATUS" fields contain null values; the "LABEL" and "NOTES" fields do. The "RANK" field is a numeric expression of the "STATUS" field. Combined with the line geometry, these fields encode the views of the United States Government on the political status of the boundary line. ATTRIBUTE NAME | | VALUE | RANK | 1 | 2 | 3 STATUS | International Boundary | Other Line of International Separation | Special Line A value of “1” in the “RANK” field corresponds to an "International Boundary" value in the “STATUS” field. Values of ”2” and “3” correspond to “Other Line of International Separation” and “Special Line,” respectively. The “LABEL” field contains required text to describe the line segment on all finished cartographic products, including but not limited to print and interactive maps. The “NOTES” field contains an explanation of special circumstances modifying the lines. This information can pertain to the origins of the boundary lines, limitations regarding the purpose of the lines, or the original source of the line. Use of Core Attributes in Cartographic Visualization Several of the Core Attributes provide information required for the proper cartographic representation of the LSIB dataset. The cartographic usage of the LSIB requires a visual differentiation between the three categories of boundary lines. Specifically, this differentiation must be between: International Boundaries (Rank 1); Other Lines of International Separation (Rank 2); and Special Lines (Rank 3). Rank 1 lines must be the most visually prominent. Rank 2 lines must be less visually prominent than Rank 1 lines. Rank 3 lines must be shown in a manner visually subordinate to Ranks 1 and 2. Where scale permits, Rank 2 and 3 lines must be labeled in accordance with the “Label” field. Data marked with a Rank 2 or 3 designation does not necessarily correspond to a disputed boundary. Please consult the style files in the download package for examples of this depiction. The requirement to incorporate the contents of the "LABEL" field on cartographic products is scale dependent. If a label is legible at the scale of a given static product, a proper use of this dataset would encourage the application of that label. Using the contents of the "COUNTRY1" and "COUNTRY2" fields in the generation of a line segment label is not required. The "STATUS" field contains the preferred description for the three LSIB line types when they are incorporated into a map legend but is otherwise not to be used for labeling. Use of the “CC1,” “CC1_GENC3,” “CC2,” “CC2_GENC3,” “RANK,” or “NOTES” fields for cartographic labeling purposes is prohibited. Extension Attributes Certain elements of the attributes within the LSIB dataset extend data functionality to make the data more interoperable or to provide clearer linkages to other datasets. The fields “CC1_GENC3” and “CC2_GENC” contain the corresponding three-character GENC code to the “CC1” and “CC2” attributes. The code “QX2” is the three-character counterpart of the code “Q2,” which denotes a line in the LSIB representing a boundary associated with a geographic area not contained within the GENC standard. To allow for linkage between individual lines in the LSIB and World Polygons dataset, the “CC1_WPID” and “CC2_WPID” fields contain a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), version 4, which provides a stable description of each geographic entity in a boundary pair relationship. Each UUID corresponds to a geographic entity listed in the World Polygons dataset. These fields allow for linkage between individual lines in the LSIB and the overall World Polygons dataset. Five additional fields in the LSIB expand on the UUID concept and either describe features that have changed across space and time or indicate relationships between previous versions of the feature. The “LSIB_ID” attribute is a UUID value that defines a specific instance of a feature. Any change to the feature in a lineset requires a new “LSIB_ID.” The “ANTECIDS,” or antecedent ID, is a UUID that references line geometries from which a given line is descended in time. It is used when there is a feature that is entirely new, not when there is a new version of a previous feature. This is generally used to reference countries that have dissolved. The “PREVIDS,” or Previous ID, is a UUID field that contains old versions of a line. This is an additive field, that houses all Previous IDs. A new version of a feature is defined by any change to the
This line feature layer contains Legal City boundaries within Los Angeles County.
The principal attribute is BDRY_TYPE which represents the boundary feature types. Use its values below for definition queries and layer symbology for your mapping needs.
Coast - This value represents the coastline. This data is carefully maintained by DPW staff, based Los Angeles Region Imagery Acquisition Consortium data.
Land City - This value represents city boundaries on land.
Land County - This value represents the county boundary on land.
Pier - One example is the Santa Monica Pier. Man-made features may be regarded as extensions of the coastline.
Breakwater - Examples include the breakwater barriers that protect the Los Angeles Harbor.
Water - This value is used to separate features representing internal navigable waters and the ocean. Examples of internal waters are found in the Long Beach Harbor and in Marina del Rey.
Ocean - This value is used to represent ocean boundaries between cities in addition to the seaward boundaries of coastal cities. Per the Submerged Lands Act, the seaward boundaries of coastal cities and unincorporated county areas are three nautical miles (a nautical mile is 1852 meters) from the coastline.
This map includes change areas for city and county boundaries filed in accordance with Government Code 54900. The initial dataset was first published on October 20, 2021, and was based on the State Board of Equalization's tax rate area boundaries. As of April 1, 2024, the maintenance of this dataset is provided by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration for the purpose of determining sales and use tax jurisdictions. The boundaries are continuously being revised when areas of conflict are discovered between the original boundary provided by the California State Board of Equalization and the boundary made publicly available by local, state, and federal government. Some differences may occur between actual recorded boundaries and the boundaries used for sales and use tax purposes. The boundaries in this map are representations of taxing jurisdictions and should not be used to determine precise city or county boundary line locations.
The data is updated within 10 business days of the CDTFA receiving a copy of the Board of Equalization's acknowledgement letter.
BOE_CityAnx Data Dictionary: COFILE = county number - assessment roll year - file number (see note*); CHANGE = affected city, unincorporated county, or boundary correction; EFFECTIVE = date the change was effective by resolution or ordinance (see note*); RECEIVED = date the change was received at the BOE; ACKNOWLEDGED = date the BOE accepted the filing for inclusion into the tax rate area system; NOTES = additional clarifying information about the action.
*Note: A COFILE number ending in "000" is a boundary correction and the effective date used is the date the map was corrected.
BOE_CityCounty Data Dictionary: COUNTY = county name; CITY = city name or unincorporated territory; COPRI = county number followed by the 3-digit city primary number used in the Board of Equalization's 6-digit tax rate area numbering system (for the purpose of this map, unincorporated areas are assigned 000 to indicate that the area is not within a city).
The international boundary data featured in this shapefile consists of the boundary between the United States and Canada and the United States and Mexico. Each country's section is administered independently. The United States and Canada border data was provided by the International Boundary Commission, United States and Canada (IBC). The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) provided the United States and Mexico section of the border data. Geospatial data files provided individually by the IBC and IBWC were used to re-align the Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER System data for the agency's representation of the international boundaries of United States with Canada and Mexico. The Census Bureau's MAF/TIGER System and the IBWC source file data for the portion of the United States and Mexico border featured a gap between Cameron County, Texas and the three-mile limit in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coast Survey Office's representation of the United States and Mexico boundary used to fill this gap.
This dataset contains shapefile boundaries for CA State, counties and places from the US Census Bureau's 2023 MAF/TIGER database. Current geography in the 2023 TIGER/Line Shapefiles generally reflects the boundaries of governmental units in effect as of January 1, 2023.
Important Note: This item is in mature support as of November 2021 and will be retired. A NEW VERSION of this item is available for your use. We recommend updating your maps and apps to use the new version.Boundary-Line is a specialist 1:10 000 scale boundaries dataset. It contains all levels of electoral and administrative boundaries, from district, wards and civil parishes (or communities) up to parliamentary, assembly and European constituencies. The currency of this data is 10/2019.
The coverage of the map service is GB. The map projection is British National Grid. The service is appropriate for viewing down to a scale of approximately 1:20,000. Updated by Esri UK: 22/01/2020To download this dataset use the link here.Ever wondered how Boundary-Line data could be used in analysis? Take a look at our police or supermarket story map.
The TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) System (MTS). The MTS represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line shapefile is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. The international boundary data featured in this shapefile consists of the boundary between the United States and Canada and the United States and Mexico. Each country's section is administered independently. The United States and Canada border data was provided by the International Boundary Commission, United States and Canada (IBC). The International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) provided the United States and Mexico section of the border data. Geospatial data files provided individually by the IBC and IBWC were used to re-align the Census Bureau's MTS data for the agency's representation of the international boundaries of United States with Canada and Mexico. The Census Bureau's MTS and the IBWC source file data for the portion of the United States and Mexico border featured a gap between Cameron County, Texas and the three-mile limit in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Coast Survey Office's representation of the United States and Mexico boundary was used to fill this gap.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/geography/licenceshttps://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/geography/licences
This document 'How BoundaryLine, ONS Boundaries and the NSPL and ONSPD are processed' shows, in a flow diagram, the interaction between OS Boundary Line releases and updates to ONS boundary and postcode products. (File Size - 182 KB)
WARNING: This is a pre-release dataset and its fields names and data structures are subject to change. It should be considered pre-release until the end of March 2025. The schema changed in February 2025 - please see below. We will post a roadmap of upcoming changes, but service URLs and schema are now stable. For deployment status of new services in February 2025, see https://gis.data.ca.gov/pages/city-and-county-boundary-data-status. Additional roadmap and status links at the bottom of this metadata.
Purpose
City boundaries along with third party identifiers used to join in external data. Boundaries are from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). These boundaries are the best available statewide data source in that CDTFA receives changes in incorporation and boundary lines from the Board of Equalization, who receives them from local jurisdictions for tax purposes. Boundary accuracy is not guaranteed, and though CDTFA works to align boundaries based on historical records and local changes, errors will exist. If you require a legal assessment of boundary location, contact a licensed surveyor.
This dataset joins in multiple attributes and identifiers from the US Census Bureau and Board on Geographic Names to facilitate adding additional third party data sources. In addition, we attach attributes of our own to ease and reduce common processing needs and questions. Finally, coastal buffers are separated into separate polygons, leaving the land-based portions of jurisdictions and coastal buffers in adjacent polygons. This feature layer is for public use.
Related Layers
This dataset is part of a grouping of many datasets:
Point of Contact
California Department of Technology, Office of Digital Services, odsdataservices@state.ca.gov
Field and Abbreviation Definitions
For large areas, like Washington State, download as a file geodatabase. Large data sets like this one, for the State of Washington, may exceed the limits for downloading as shape files, excel files, or KML files. For areas less than a county, you may use the map to zoom to your area and download as shape file, excel or KML, if that format is desired.The Boundary layer consists of lines representing the boundaries of Parcels and Legal Descriptions. (See the metadata for those two layers.) Boundary lines are the places that are surveyed in order to delimit the extent of Parcels and Legal Descriptions. The character and accuracy of Boundary locations is held in the attributes of the Points that are at the ends of Boundary lines. All the boundaries of Parcels and Legal Descriptions are covered by a Boundary line. Currently the Boundary layer has little functionality. The only distinction it makes is between upland boundaries and shorelines. In the future Boundary lines will have a richer set of attributes in order to accommodate cartographic needs to distinguish between types of boundaries.WA Boundaries Metadata
MIT Licensehttps://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
License information was derived automatically
(Link to Metadata) The BNDHASH dataset depicts Vermont village, town, county, and Regional Planning Commission (RPC) boundaries. It is a composite of generally 'best available' boundaries from various data sources (refer to ARC_SRC and SRC_NOTES attributes). However, this dataset DOES NOT attempt to provide a legally definitive boundary. The layer was originally developed from TBHASH, which was the master VGIS town boundary layer prior to the development and release of BNDHASH. By integrating village, town, county, RPC, and state boundaries into a single layer, VCGI has assured vertical integration of these boundaries and simplified maintenance. BNDHASH also includes annotation text for town, county, and RPC names. BNDHASH includes the following feature classes: 1) BNDHASH_POLY_VILLAGES = Vermont villages 2) BNDHASH_POLY_TOWNS = Vermont towns 3) BNDHASH_POLY_COUNTIES = Vermont counties 4) BNDHASH_POLY_RPCS = Vermont's Regional Planning Commissions 5) BNDHASH_POLY_VTBND = Vermont's state boundary 6) BNDHASH_LINE = Lines on which all POLY feature classes are built The master BNDHASH data is managed as an ESRI geodatabase feature dataset by VCGI. The dataset stores village, town, county, RPC, and state boundaries as seperate feature classes with a set of topology rules which binds the features. This arrangement assures vertical integration of the various boundaries. VCGI will update this layer on an annual basis by reviewing records housed in the VT State Archives - Secretary of State's Office. VCGI also welcomes documented information from VGIS users which identify boundary errors. NOTE - VCGI has NOT attempted to create a legally definitive boundary layer. Instead the idea is to maintain an integrated village/town/county/RPC/state boundary layer which provides for a reasonably accurate representation of these boundaries (refer to ARC_SRC and SRC_NOTES). BNDHASH includes all counties, towns, and villages listed in "Population and Local Government - State of Vermont - 2000" published by the Secretary of State. BNDHASH may include changes endorsed by the Legislature since the publication of this document in 2000 (eg: villages merged with towns). Utlimately the Vermont Secratary of State's Office and the VT Legislature are responsible for maintaining information which accurately describes the locations of these boundaries. BNDHASH should be used for general mapping purposes only. * Users who wish to determine which boundaries are different from the original TBHASH boundaries should refer to the ORIG_ARC field in the BOUNDARY_BNDHASH_LINE (line feature with attributes). Also, updates to BNDHASH are tracked by version number (ex: 2003A). The UPDACT field is used to track changes between versions. The UPDACT field is flushed between versions.
This layer is derived from the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf). These areas are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). TIGER/Line Shapefile Technical Documentation from the U.S. Census Bureay regarding the 2017 TIGER/Line Shapefiles is located here https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/data/tiger/tgrshp2017/TGRSHP2017_TechDoc.pdf
This shows the boundaries for American Indian reservations, counties, tracts, block groups, blocks, military boundaries and political townships as of 2020. TIGER/Line shapefiles downloaded directly from the U.S. Census at 2020 TIGER/Line ShapefilesThe TIGER/Line shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). The MTDB represents a seamless national file with no overlaps or gaps between parts, however, each TIGER/Line shapefile is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. The primary legal divisions of most states are termed counties. In Louisiana, these divisions are known as parishes. In Alaska, which has no counties, the equivalent entities are the organized boroughs, city and boroughs, municipalities, and for the unorganized area, census areas. The latter are delineated cooperatively for statistical purposes by the State of Alaska and the Census Bureau. In four states (Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, and Virginia), there are one or more incorporated places that are independent of any county organization and thus constitute primary divisions of their states. These incorporated places are known as independent cities and are treated as equivalent entities for purposes of data presentation.The full Kansas geospatial catalog is administered by the Kansas Data Access & Support Center (DASC) and can be found at the following URL: https://hub.kansasgis.org/
This document 'How BoundaryLine, ONS Boundaries and the NSPL and ONSPD are processed' shows, in a flow diagram, the interaction between OS Boundary Line releases and updates to ONS boundary and postcode products. (File Size - 182 KB)
Municipal boundaries for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia with ortho-rectified municipal boundaries for the DVRPC Region. Municipal Boundaries have been edited by DVRPC to create a more accurate, seemless regional dataset for the DVRPC region and its surrounding area. Original data sources (in order of drawing rank): DVRPC - for Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester counties in NJ (an adaptation of NJOIT's Mun Bounds) and Bucks, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Chester, and Delaware counties in PA. In most cases, boundaries have been adjusted to align with parcel data. NJOIT - remaining NJ counties (2008) PennDOT - remaining PA counties (2009) DE State Office of Mgmt & Budget - Delaware municipalities (2002) MD State Hwy Administration - Maryland municipalities (2003) NOTE: NJ's coast has been clipped or unioned to ESRI's data CD detailed state boundary
Three feature layers of Unites States internal state boundaries at different scales: 1:500K, 1:5M, and 1:20M. These layers are intended for use as a cartographic product. It is up to the user to determine which layer is most appropriate for their map.Derived from 2019 US Census Bureau Cartographic Boundary Files for state boundaries using ArcGIS Pro 2.4.3. Process:Original files were downloaded from US Census for the three different scales.Polygons were then converted to lines using the Polygon-to-Line tool.To remove the coastlines, all rows not having a LEFT_FID or RIGHT_FID attribute equal to -1 were then exported to a new geodatabase feature class.The geodatabase was zipped and uploaded to ArcGIS Online.For more information on Cartographic Boundary Files visit https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/technical-documentation/naming-convention/cartographic-boundary-file.html and https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/cartographic-boundary.html.Created by Ryan Davis (RDavis9@cdc.gov) on behalf of CDC/ATSDR/DTHHS/GRASP.
Curb lines for the city of Chicago. Curb lines mark the points where curbs meet the edge of the street pavement. To view or use these files, compression software and special GIS software, such as ESRI ArcGIS, is required.
The "Map Imager Layer - Administrative Boundaries" is a Map Image Layer of Administrative Boundaries. It has been designed specifically for use in ArcGIS Online (and will not directly work in ArcMap or ArcPro). This data has been modified from the original source data to serve a specific business purpose. This data is for cartographic purposes only.The Administrative Boundaries Data Group contains the following layers: Populated Places (USGS)US Census Urbanized Areas and Urban Clusters (USCB)US Census Minor Civil Divisions (USCB)PLSS Townships (MnDNR, MnGeo)Counties (USCB)American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian (AIANNH) Areas (USCB)States (USCB)Countries (MPCA)These datasets have not been optimized for fast display (but rather they maintain their original shape/precision), therefore it is recommend that filtering is used to show only the features of interest. For more information about using filters please see "Work with map layers: Apply Filters": https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/create-maps/apply-filters.htmFor additional information about the Administrative Boundary Dataset please see:United States Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles and TIGER/Line Files Technical Documentation: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/technical-documentation/complete-technical-documentation/tiger-geo-line.htmlUnited States Census Bureau Census Mapping Files: https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files.htmlUnited States Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles: https://www.census.gov/geographies/mapping-files/time-series/geo/tiger-line-file.html and https://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/geo/shapefiles/index.php
The linear boundary of the administrative area used for cartographic output.
This layer is a component of General Purpose Basemap.
Provides context for a wide range of people and supports a variety of application needs within a local government. The layers in this basemap provide context for multiple workflows, such as editing data or producing web maps. It includes structures, roads, major facilities, water features, and boundaries. This map also includes Campus Basemap can be used to create a high-resolution, multi-scale basemap for a university or business campus. It can also be used by government agencies to produce a high-resolution basemap for a downtown, government complex, or military base.
© Esri., Inc., City of Kerrville, TX
https://koordinates.com/license/attribution-3-0-new-zealand/https://koordinates.com/license/attribution-3-0-new-zealand/
Parcel boundaries as polylines.
These are often more useful than parcel polygons in simple systems.
Boundary lines are split at nodes (junctions) so they can have a separate featurecode to indicate the edge type. This enables road casings, water boundaries and internal boundaries to be separately symbolised. Boundaries are only drawn once, compared to drawing polygon edges where each parcel is drawn twice.
Since most parcels need to be drawn with no fill, it is much more efficient to create a map with parcel polylines and labels, and only draw sparse polygons with a fill, such as roads, water and reserve polygons.
If you need to do analysis that requires polygons, then select parcels as polygons.
Source LINZ BDE Nov 2008
Overview The Office of the Geographer and Global Issues at the U.S. Department of State produces the Large Scale International Boundaries (LSIB) dataset. The current edition is version 11.4 (published 24 February 2025). The 11.4 release contains updated boundary lines and data refinements designed to extend the functionality of the dataset. These data and generalized derivatives are the only international boundary lines approved for U.S. Government use. The contents of this dataset reflect U.S. Government policy on international boundary alignment, political recognition, and dispute status. They do not necessarily reflect de facto limits of control. National Geospatial Data Asset This dataset is a National Geospatial Data Asset (NGDAID 194) managed by the Department of State. It is a part of the International Boundaries Theme created by the Federal Geographic Data Committee. Dataset Source Details Sources for these data include treaties, relevant maps, and data from boundary commissions, as well as national mapping agencies. Where available and applicable, the dataset incorporates information from courts, tribunals, and international arbitrations. The research and recovery process includes analysis of satellite imagery and elevation data. Due to the limitations of source materials and processing techniques, most lines are within 100 meters of their true position on the ground. Cartographic Visualization The LSIB is a geospatial dataset that, when used for cartographic purposes, requires additional styling. The LSIB download package contains example style files for commonly used software applications. The attribute table also contains embedded information to guide the cartographic representation. Additional discussion of these considerations can be found in the Use of Core Attributes in Cartographic Visualization section below. Additional cartographic information pertaining to the depiction and description of international boundaries or areas of special sovereignty can be found in Guidance Bulletins published by the Office of the Geographer and Global Issues: https://data.geodata.state.gov/guidance/index.html Contact Direct inquiries to internationalboundaries@state.gov. Direct download: https://data.geodata.state.gov/LSIB.zip Attribute Structure The dataset uses the following attributes divided into two categories: ATTRIBUTE NAME | ATTRIBUTE STATUS CC1 | Core CC1_GENC3 | Extension CC1_WPID | Extension COUNTRY1 | Core CC2 | Core CC2_GENC3 | Extension CC2_WPID | Extension COUNTRY2 | Core RANK | Core LABEL | Core STATUS | Core NOTES | Core LSIB_ID | Extension ANTECIDS | Extension PREVIDS | Extension PARENTID | Extension PARENTSEG | Extension These attributes have external data sources that update separately from the LSIB: ATTRIBUTE NAME | ATTRIBUTE STATUS CC1 | GENC CC1_GENC3 | GENC CC1_WPID | World Polygons COUNTRY1 | DoS Lists CC2 | GENC CC2_GENC3 | GENC CC2_WPID | World Polygons COUNTRY2 | DoS Lists LSIB_ID | BASE ANTECIDS | BASE PREVIDS | BASE PARENTID | BASE PARENTSEG | BASE The core attributes listed above describe the boundary lines contained within the LSIB dataset. Removal of core attributes from the dataset will change the meaning of the lines. An attribute status of “Extension” represents a field containing data interoperability information. Other attributes not listed above include “FID”, “Shape_length” and “Shape.” These are components of the shapefile format and do not form an intrinsic part of the LSIB. Core Attributes The eight core attributes listed above contain unique information which, when combined with the line geometry, comprise the LSIB dataset. These Core Attributes are further divided into Country Code and Name Fields and Descriptive Fields. County Code and Country Name Fields “CC1” and “CC2” fields are machine readable fields that contain political entity codes. These are two-character codes derived from the Geopolitical Entities, Names, and Codes Standard (GENC), Edition 3 Update 18. “CC1_GENC3” and “CC2_GENC3” fields contain the corresponding three-character GENC codes and are extension attributes discussed below. The codes “Q2” or “QX2” denote a line in the LSIB representing a boundary associated with areas not contained within the GENC standard. The “COUNTRY1” and “COUNTRY2” fields contain the names of corresponding political entities. These fields contain names approved by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) as incorporated in the ‘"Independent States in the World" and "Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty" lists maintained by the Department of State. To ensure maximum compatibility, names are presented without diacritics and certain names are rendered using common cartographic abbreviations. Names for lines associated with the code "Q2" are descriptive and not necessarily BGN-approved. Names rendered in all CAPITAL LETTERS denote independent states. Names rendered in normal text represent dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, or are otherwise presented for the convenience of the user. Descriptive Fields The following text fields are a part of the core attributes of the LSIB dataset and do not update from external sources. They provide additional information about each of the lines and are as follows: ATTRIBUTE NAME | CONTAINS NULLS RANK | No STATUS | No LABEL | Yes NOTES | Yes Neither the "RANK" nor "STATUS" fields contain null values; the "LABEL" and "NOTES" fields do. The "RANK" field is a numeric expression of the "STATUS" field. Combined with the line geometry, these fields encode the views of the United States Government on the political status of the boundary line. ATTRIBUTE NAME | | VALUE | RANK | 1 | 2 | 3 STATUS | International Boundary | Other Line of International Separation | Special Line A value of “1” in the “RANK” field corresponds to an "International Boundary" value in the “STATUS” field. Values of ”2” and “3” correspond to “Other Line of International Separation” and “Special Line,” respectively. The “LABEL” field contains required text to describe the line segment on all finished cartographic products, including but not limited to print and interactive maps. The “NOTES” field contains an explanation of special circumstances modifying the lines. This information can pertain to the origins of the boundary lines, limitations regarding the purpose of the lines, or the original source of the line. Use of Core Attributes in Cartographic Visualization Several of the Core Attributes provide information required for the proper cartographic representation of the LSIB dataset. The cartographic usage of the LSIB requires a visual differentiation between the three categories of boundary lines. Specifically, this differentiation must be between: International Boundaries (Rank 1); Other Lines of International Separation (Rank 2); and Special Lines (Rank 3). Rank 1 lines must be the most visually prominent. Rank 2 lines must be less visually prominent than Rank 1 lines. Rank 3 lines must be shown in a manner visually subordinate to Ranks 1 and 2. Where scale permits, Rank 2 and 3 lines must be labeled in accordance with the “Label” field. Data marked with a Rank 2 or 3 designation does not necessarily correspond to a disputed boundary. Please consult the style files in the download package for examples of this depiction. The requirement to incorporate the contents of the "LABEL" field on cartographic products is scale dependent. If a label is legible at the scale of a given static product, a proper use of this dataset would encourage the application of that label. Using the contents of the "COUNTRY1" and "COUNTRY2" fields in the generation of a line segment label is not required. The "STATUS" field contains the preferred description for the three LSIB line types when they are incorporated into a map legend but is otherwise not to be used for labeling. Use of the “CC1,” “CC1_GENC3,” “CC2,” “CC2_GENC3,” “RANK,” or “NOTES” fields for cartographic labeling purposes is prohibited. Extension Attributes Certain elements of the attributes within the LSIB dataset extend data functionality to make the data more interoperable or to provide clearer linkages to other datasets. The fields “CC1_GENC3” and “CC2_GENC” contain the corresponding three-character GENC code to the “CC1” and “CC2” attributes. The code “QX2” is the three-character counterpart of the code “Q2,” which denotes a line in the LSIB representing a boundary associated with a geographic area not contained within the GENC standard. To allow for linkage between individual lines in the LSIB and World Polygons dataset, the “CC1_WPID” and “CC2_WPID” fields contain a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID), version 4, which provides a stable description of each geographic entity in a boundary pair relationship. Each UUID corresponds to a geographic entity listed in the World Polygons dataset. These fields allow for linkage between individual lines in the LSIB and the overall World Polygons dataset. Five additional fields in the LSIB expand on the UUID concept and either describe features that have changed across space and time or indicate relationships between previous versions of the feature. The “LSIB_ID” attribute is a UUID value that defines a specific instance of a feature. Any change to the feature in a lineset requires a new “LSIB_ID.” The “ANTECIDS,” or antecedent ID, is a UUID that references line geometries from which a given line is descended in time. It is used when there is a feature that is entirely new, not when there is a new version of a previous feature. This is generally used to reference countries that have dissolved. The “PREVIDS,” or Previous ID, is a UUID field that contains old versions of a line. This is an additive field, that houses all Previous IDs. A new version of a feature is defined by any change to the