How is a vector different from a raster data format?
A vector data model is based on points, lines, and areas defined by drawing boundaries around features and labeling or attributing them. The National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) is an example of a vector database. Environmental scientists manually delineate wetlands from aerial photography and attribute them with the type of wetland for use in vector-based geographic information system (GIS). The vector data format is well suited for representing linear features and the human landscape. A road is a linear feature that can easily be attributed with size, condition, pavement type, etc. as a vector. Political boundaries are also well handled in a vector data format. A raster data format divides up the Earth’s surface into evenly spaced and equally sized units (normally squares) representing an area. Each unit, or cell, or pixel, has attributes such as elevation, or land cover. The raster data format is well suited for representing the natural environment. There are very few natural linear bo
