This dataset represents States and equivalent entities, which are the primary governmental divisions of the United States. 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) 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. In addition to the fifty States, the Census Bureau treats the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and each of the Island Areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) as the statistical equivalents of States for the purpose of data presentation.

Northeastern United States State Boundary data are intended for geographic display of state boundaries at statewide and regional levels. Use it to map and label states on a map. These data are derived from Northeastern United States Political Boundary Master layer. This information should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:24,000-scale data. The State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) assembled this regional data layer using data from other states in order to create a single, seamless representation of political boundaries within the vicinity of Connecticut that could be easily incorporated into mapping applications as background information. More accurate and up-to-date information may be available from individual State government Geographic Information System (GIS) offices. Not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.)

The 2022 cartographic boundary shapefiles are simplified representations of selected geographic areas from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). These boundary files are specifically designed for small-scale thematic mapping. When possible, generalization is performed with the intent to maintain the hierarchical relationships among geographies and to maintain the alignment of geographies within a file set for a given year. Geographic areas may not align with the same areas from another year. Some geographies are available as nation-based files while others are available only as state-based files. Divisions are groupings of states within a census geographic region, established by the Census Bureau for the presentation of census data. The current nine divisions (East North Central, East South Central, Middle Atlantic, Mountain, New England, Pacific, South Atlantic, West North Central, and West South Central) are intended to represent relatively homogeneous areas that are subdivisions of the four census geographic regions.

This coverage is of the state boundaries of the conterminous United States. It was derived from the Digital Line Graph (DLG) files representing the 1:2,000,000-scale map in the National Atlas of the United States. Boundaries United States

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.

This data set represents the state (political) boundaries of Mexico. The Digitial Chart of the World data set had incomplete state boundaries, which was the reason to create this coverage. It was digitized from a 1992 CIA map at a scale of 1:3 million. The coast line came from the Digital Chart of the world at a scale of 1:1 million. The state names were labeled from the map and an attribute to help fill the states was added. The labeling process was done manually.

This is the standard Minnesota State Boundary dataset that is used by MNDNR and many other state agencies. It is derived from the related dataset "County Boundaries, Minnesota" ( http://gisdata.mn.gov/dataset/bdry-counties-in-minnesota ) and is maintained by MNDNR's Lands and Minerals Divsion.

The USGS Governmental Unit Boundaries dataset from The National Map (TNM) represents major civil areas for the Nation, including States or Territories, counties (or equivalents), Federal and Native American areas, congressional districts, minor civil divisions, incorporated places (such as cities and towns), and unincorporated places. Boundaries data are useful for understanding the extent of jurisdictional or administrative areas for a wide range of applications, including mapping or managing resources, and responding to natural disasters. Boundaries data also include extents of forest, grassland, park, wilderness, wildlife, and other reserve areas useful for recreational activities, such as hiking and backpacking. Boundaries data are acquired from a variety of government sources. The data represents the source data with minimal editing or review by USGS. Please refer to the feature-level metadata for information on the data source. The National Map boundaries data is commonly combined with other data themes, such as elevation, hydrography, structures, and transportation, to produce general reference base maps. The National Map viewer allows free downloads of public domain boundaries data in either Esri File Geodatabase or Shapefile formats. For additional information on the boundaries data model, go to https://nationalmap.gov/boundaries.html.

The 2019 cartographic boundary shapefiles are simplified representations of selected geographic areas from the U.S. Census Bureau's Master Address File / Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (MAF/TIGER) Database (MTDB). These boundary files are specifically designed for small-scale thematic mapping. When possible, generalization is performed with the intent to maintain the hierarchical relationships among geographies and to maintain the alignment of geographies within a file set for a given year. Geographic areas may not align with the same areas from another year. Some geographies are available as nation-based files while others are available only as state-based files. Regions are four groupings of states (Northeast, South, Midwest, and West) established by the Census Bureau in 1942 for the presentation of census data.

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 TIGER/Line Shapefiles are an extract of selected geographic and cartographic information from the Census MAF/TIGER database. The Census MAF/TIGER database 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 the shapefiles can be combined to cover the whole nation.

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.

Northeastern United States Town Boundary data are intended for geographic display of state, county and town (municipal) boundaries at statewide and regional levels. Use it to map and label towns on a map. These data are derived from Northeastern United States Political Boundary Master layer. This information should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:24,000-scale data. The State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) assembled this regional data layer using data from other states in order to create a single, seamless representation of political boundaries within the vicinity of Connecticut that could be easily incorporated into mapping applications as background information. More accurate and up-to-date information may be available from individual State government Geographic Information System (GIS) offices. Not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.)

Connecticut and Vicinity State Boundary data are intended for geographic display of state boundaries at statewide and regional levels. Use it to map and label states on a map. These data are derived from Northeastern United States Political Boundary Master layer. This information should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:24,000-scale data. The State of Connecticut, Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) assembled this regional data layer using data from other states in order to create a single, seamless representation of political boundaries within the vicinity of Connecticut that could be easily incorporated into mapping applications as background information. More accurate and up-to-date information may be available from individual State government Geographic Information System (GIS) offices. Not intended for maps printed at map scales greater or more detailed than 1:24,000 scale (1 inch = 2,000 feet.)

This layer presents the USA Census Tract boundaries of the United States in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The geography is sourced from U.S. Census Bureau 2020 TIGER FGDB (National Sub-State) and edited using TIGER Hydrography to add a detailed coastline for cartographic purposes.Attribute fields include 2020 total population from the U.S. Census Public Law 94 data.The boundaries are sourced from U.S. Census TIGER files. These were published in June 2024. A new layer will be published in 12-18 months. Other administrative boundaries for this country are also available:CountryStateCountyZIP CodeBlock Group

Abstract: This map layer portrays the State boundaries of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The map layer was created by extracting county polygon features from the CENSUS 2006 TIGER/Line files produced by the U.S. Census Bureau. These files were then merged into a single file and county boundaries within States were removed.

Purpose: These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at thenational level, and for large regional areas. The data should bedisplayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:1,000,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by The National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data.

From the U.S. Census Tiger/Line 2019 Technical Documentation (https://www2.census.gov/geo/pdfs/maps-data/data/tiger/tgrshp2019/TGRSHP2019_TechDoc.pdf page 3-62): States and equivalent entities are the primary governmental divisions of the United States. In addition to the fifty states, the Census Bureau treats the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Island areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) as statistical equivalents of states for the purpose of data presentation. Census regions and divisions consist of groupings of states and equivalent entities. Region and division codes are included in the state shapefiles and users can merge state records to form those areas.

U.S. State Boundaries provides detailed boundary lines consistent with the state, county, and Census block group and tract datasets, and are effective for cartographic display at regional and state levels. The boundaries are categorized by type.U.S. State Boundaries represents the boundary lines of the 50 states and the District of Columbia of the United States.Note: The data reflects the U.S. Census Bureau's TIGER/Line Geodatabases 2020.

The United States State Boundaries database is a geographic database of state political boundaries. The database includes boundaries for all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In order for others to use the information in the Census MAF/TIGER database in a geographic information system (GIS) or for other geographic applications, the Census Bureau releases to the public extracts of the database in the form of TIGER/Line Shapefiles. State boundaries with shorelines cut in. The State Boundary with Detailed Shorelines database was created using TIGER/LINE 2011 shapefile data gathered from ESRI's Geography Network. The individual county shapefiles were processed into Arc/Info coverages and then appended together to create complete state coverages. OST-R/BTS Hydrographic data was integrated to create detailed shorelines. The TIGER/Line Files are shapefiles and related database files (.dbf) that 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 File is designed to stand alone as an independent data set, or they can be combined to cover the entire nation. States and equivalent entities are the primary governmental divisions of the United States. In addition to the fifty States, the Census Bureau treats the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and each of the Island Areas (American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) as the statistical equivalents of States for the purpose of data presentation.

This line shapefile represents the boundary lines of the states of the United States at 1:100,000 scale. This layer is part of the 2014 ESRI Data and Maps collection for ArcGIS 10.2.