---
layout: default
title: Region map visualizations
nav_order: 40
---

# Region map visualizations

OpenSearch Dashboards provides basic map tiles with a standard vector map that you can use to create your region map visualizations. You can configure the base map tiles using the Web Map Service (WMS) map server.

You can't configure a server to support user-defined vector map layers. However, you can configure your own GeoJSON file and upload it for this purpose.
{: .note}

OpenSearch also has a standard set of GeoJSON files to provide a vector map with your regional maps.

## Custom 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: Create 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.
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`). <img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/import-geojson-file.png" alt="import a Geo .json file" width="340"/>
1. Select the **Import file** button.
Once the upload is successful, you will see a pop-up prompting you to refresh the map. Select the **Refresh** button. <img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/upload-success.png" alt="message upon a successful file upload" width="280"/>

### Step 2: View 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:
<img src="{{site.url}}{{site.baseurl}}/images/county-region-map.png" alt="view a custom GeoJSON region map" width="700"/>

### 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]]] } }
  ]
}

```