Summary

In this chapter, we looked at a number of important libraries for developing geospatial applications using Python. We learned the following:

• GDAL is a C++ library for reading (and sometimes writing) raster-based geospatial data.

• OGR is a C++ library for reading (and sometimes writing) vector-based geospatial data.

• GDAL and OGR include Python bindings that are easy to use, and support a large number of data formats.

• The PROJ.4 library, and its Pythonic pyproj wrapper, allow you to convert between geographic coordinates (points on the Earth's surface) and cartographic coordinates (x,y coordinates on a two-dimensional plane) using any desired map projection and ellipsoid.

• The pyproj Geod class allows you to perform various geodetic calculations based on points on the Earth's surface, a given distance, and a given angle (azimuth).

• A geospatial data manipulation library called the Java Topology Suite was originally developed for Java. This was then rewritten in C++ under the name GEOS, and...