THE FILE FIELD GUIDE

.geojson

GeoJSON Geographic Data

Maps & GPS

GeoJSON represents geometry/properties in JSON. RFC 7946 uses WGS84 longitude/latitude, not unconverted projected coordinates in metres. Valid JSON alone does not establish correct geographic geometry.

What it is used for: JSON exchange of geographic geometry and properties
What the file contains: Text

All sections, questions and sources

Content reviewed：2026-10-12 · Editor：Kai

Opening steps

Choose your environment or purpose to see its steps.

Add GeoJSON to a GIS

Text validity does not establish coordinate correctness.

Load a copy as a vector layer in QGIS or another GIS.
Inspect extent and feature count.
Compare attributes and known locations.

Validate JSON and coordinates

Standard coordinates use longitude then latitude.

Inspect type and Feature/FeatureCollection structure.
Compare coordinate order, numeric types and source CRS.
Inspect polygon rings, holes and closure.

Export to another geographic format

Validate both geometry and attributes.

Select required layer and transformation settings.
Export separately using a supported GIS workflow.
Compare counts, locations, attributes and empty geometries.

Menu labels and support vary by app, OS and version. Preserve the original before making changes.

Troubleshooting by symptom

Wrong country/ocean: check swapped axes or untransformed projected coordinates.
Parse error: distinguish JSON syntax from geometry structure.
Slow display: inspect feature/vertex counts and subset appropriately.
Wrong location: inspect swapped axes or untransformed projected coordinates.
Valid JSON but no features: inspect collection/geometry/null content.
Polygon holes lost: inspect rings, orientation and destination interpretation.

GeoJSON → KML / supported GIS format

Select features/properties and specify the target CRS during export.
Compare counts, coordinates, encoding, precision and missing values.
Compare attribute types, missing values and identifiers as well as geometry.

Property types/lengths and geometry capabilities differ; screenshots do not preserve the geographic records.

Check coordinate order with a known example

A point at longitude 139.7, latitude 35.6 uses [139.7, 35.6]; compare known locations.

Identify and transform projected coordinates rather than inserting metre values unchanged.

Source for these steps：IETF / RFC Editor · RFC 7946 — The GeoJSON Format / QGIS Project · Opening Data

Validate geometry and attribute transfer separately

Matching geometry does not guarantee preserved types, identifiers or missing values.

Inspect destination handling of null and mixed geometry types.

Source for these steps：IETF / RFC Editor · RFC 7946 — The GeoJSON Format / QGIS Project · Opening Data

Related-format differences

Related-format differences
Format	Main role	What to check
GeoJSON	JSON geographic objects	Coordinates/attributes
Shapefile set	Multi-file geographic format	CRS/attribute limits
KML	XML geographic data	Presentation differences

Handling and security

Review sensitive coordinates/properties before uploading to public tools.

Questions and answers

Is it ordinary JSON?

It adds defined geographic structures to JSON.

Is latitude first?

RFC 7946 uses longitude, latitude.

Can I merely relabel the CRS?

Actual coordinate transformation may be needed.

Can I discard features with null geometry?

Attributes/identifiers may still matter; inspect requirements before changing a copy.

Why can identifiers change while positions match?

Compare type, precision and leading-zero handling, not only feature counts.

Format facts: name, steward and MIME type

Formal name: GeoJSON (RFC 7946)
Steward / specification: IETF
MIME type: application/geo+json

Primary and official sources

StandardRFC 7946 — The GeoJSON Format
Defines GeoJSON structures and longitude/latitude ordering.
IETF / RFC Editor · Link checked：2026-10-12
Official documentationOpening Data
Load vector and GPX data as layers.
QGIS Project · Link checked：2026-10-12