---
layout: default
title: Using coordinate and region maps
parent: Building data visualizations
has_children: true
nav_order: 15
redirect_from:
- /dashboards/geojson-regionmaps/
---
# Using coordinate and region maps
OpenSearch has a standard set of GeoJSON files that provide a vector map with each region map. OpenSearch Dashboards also provides basic map tiles with a standard vector map to create region maps. You can configure the base map tiles using [Web Map Service (WMS)](https://www.ogc.org/standards/wms). For more information, see [Configuring WMS in OpenSearch Dashboards]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/dashboards/maptiles/).
For air gapped environments, OpenSearch Dashboards provides a self-host maps server. For more information, see [Using the self-host maps server]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/dashboards/selfhost-maps-server/)
While you can't configure a server to support user-defined vector map layers, you can configure your own GeoJSON file and upload it for this purpose.
{: .note}
## Customizing vector maps with GeoJSON
If you have a specific locale that is not provided by OpenSearch Dashboards vector maps, such as a US county or US ZIP Code, you can create your own custom vector map with a GeoJSON file. To create a custom region map you would define a geographic shape such as a polygon with multiple coordinates. To learn more about the various geographic shapes that support a custom region map location, see [Geoshape field type]({{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/opensearch/supported-field-types/geo-shape/).
GeoJSON format allows you to encode geographic data structures. To learn more about the GeoJSON specification, go to [geojson.org](https://geojson.org/).
You can use [geojson.io](https://geojson.io/#map=2/20.0/0.0) to extract GeoJSON files.
> **PREREQUISITE**
> To use a custom vector map with GeoJSON, install these two required plugins:
> * OpenSearch Dashboards Maps [`dashboards-maps`](https://github.com/opensearch-project/dashboards-maps) front-end plugin
> * OpenSearch [`geospatial`](https://github.com/opensearch-project/geospatial) backend plugin
{: .note}
### Step 1: Creating a region map visualization
To create your own custom vector map, upload a JSON file that contains GEO data for your customized regional maps. The JSON file contains vector layers for visualization.
1. Prepare a JSON file to upload. Make sure the file has either a .geojson or .json extension.
1. On the top menu bar, go to **OpenSearch Dashboards > Visualize**.
1. Select the **Create Visualization** button.
1. Select **Region Map**.
1. Choose a source. For example, **[Flights] Flight Log**.
1. In the right panel, select **Import Vector Map**.
1. In **Upload map**, select or drag and drop your JSON file and then enter **Map name prefix** (for example, `usa-counties`). Your map will have the prefix that you defined followed by the `-map` suffix (for example, `usa-counties-map`), as shown in the following image:
1. Select the **Import file** button and then select the **Refresh** button in the pop-up window confirming successful upload, as shown in the following image.
### Step 2: Viewing the custom region map in OpenSearch Dashboards
After you upload a custom GeoJSON file, you need to set the vector map layer to custom, and select your vector map:
1. From **Layer Options > Layer settings**, select **Custom vector map**.
1. Under **Vector map**, select the name of the vector map that you just uploaded.
1. Optional: Under **Style settings**, increase **Border thickness** to see the borders more clearly.
1. Select the **Update** button.
1. View your region map in the Dashboards. For example, the following image shows the Los Angeles and San Diego county regions:
#### Example GeoJSON file
The following example GeoJSON file provides coordinates for two US counties.
```json
{
"type": "FeatureCollection",
"name": "usa counties",
"features": [
{ "type": "Feature", "properties": { "iso2": "US", "iso3": "LA-CA", "name": "Los Angeles County", "country": "US", "county": "LA" }, "geometry": { "type": "Polygon", "coordinates":[[[-118.71826171875,34.07086232376631],[-118.69628906249999,34.03445260967645],[-118.56994628906249,34.02990029603907],[-118.487548828125,33.957030069982316],[-118.37219238281249,33.86129311351553],[-118.45458984375,33.75631505992707],[-118.33923339843749,33.715201644740844],[-118.22937011718749,33.75631505992707],[-118.1414794921875,33.678639851675555],[-117.9107666015625,33.578014746143985],[-117.75146484375,33.4955977448657],[-117.55920410156249,33.55512901742288],[-117.3065185546875,33.5963189611327],[-117.0703125,33.67406853374198],[-116.69677734375,34.06176136129718],[-116.9439697265625,34.28445325435288],[-117.18017578125,34.42956713470528],[-117.3779296875,34.542762387234845],[-117.62512207031251,34.56990638085636],[-118.048095703125,34.615126683462194],[-118.44909667968749,34.542762387234845],[-118.61938476562499,34.38877925439021],[-118.740234375,34.21180215769026],[-118.71826171875,34.07086232376631]]] } },
{ "type": "Feature", "properties": { "iso2": "US", "iso3": "SD-CA", "name": "San Diego County", "country": "US", "county": "SD" }, "geometry": { "type": "Polygon", "coordinates":[[[-117.23510742187501,32.861132322810946],[-117.2406005859375,32.75494243654723],[-117.1636962890625,32.68099643258195],[-117.14172363281251,32.58384932565662],[-117.09228515624999,32.46342595776104],[-117.0538330078125,32.29177633471201],[-116.96044921875,32.194208672875384],[-116.85607910156249,32.16631295696736],[-116.6748046875,32.20350534542368],[-116.3671875,32.319633552035214],[-116.1474609375,32.55144352864431],[-116.1639404296875,32.80574473290688],[-116.4111328125,33.073130945006625],[-116.72973632812499,33.08233672856376],[-117.09228515624999,32.99484290420988],[-117.2515869140625,32.96258644191747], [-117.23510742187501,32.861132322810946]]] } }
]
}
```