There are two main methods for holding and displaying geographical data. These are described as raster and vector mapping. Here we'll outline some key differences between the two types:
Raster mapping
This looks like a conventional road atlas map when displayed on screen, and is made up of a collection of pixels. Formats include .tiff, .jpg, .gif, .bmp and .png file extensions, and are generally larger file sizes than vector maps. Raster maps are usually scanned in from traditional paper maps, created by cartographers.
Vector mapping
Vector mapping is used to represent linear features such as roads, railways, boundary data and rivers. It is very flexible, and features can be turned on and off at the discretion of the user. Although it can be less sophisticated than raster mapping, vector mapping is more compact, stored as a set of co-ordinates, and easily customised.
Other Data Products
Our Street Level Mapping data include multiple formats of road network data..