Section Three - Intro to Spatial Vector Data in Python

In section three of this textbook, you will learn how to work with and plot spatial vector data using the geopandas package for Python.

Learning Objectives

After completing this section of the textbook, you will be able to:

• Describe the characteristics of 3 key vector data structures: points, lines and polygons.
• Open a shapefile in Python using geopandas.
• View the CRS and other spatial metadata of a vector spatial layer in Python
• Be able to describe what a Coordinate Reference System (CRS) is.
• List 2-3 fundamental differences between a geographic and a projected CRS.
• Identify the CRS of a spatial dataset and reproject it to another CRS in Python.
• Clip a spatial vector point and line layer to the spatial extent of a polygon layer in Python using geopandas.
• Dissolve polygons based upon an attribute in Python using geopandas.
• Join spatial attributes from one shapefile to another in Python using geopandas.