definition
strict definition
boundary
The outline of a region or the footprint of a structure, stored as a polygon of geographic coordinates.
A boundary is the outline of something on the map, held as a polygon of coordinates. For a region it is the administrative border, for a structure the footprint the building covers.
It is drawn, not calculated. A pinpoint location is a single point and can be derived from a boundary, but no boundary can be recovered from a pinpoint.
A region without a boundary is still a region. Many places are recorded with a name, a register code and a center while no polygon has been imported yet, and that gap says nothing about the place itself.
Related definitions
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altitude
The height of a point above or below the sea-level reference, expressed in meters with negative values below it. -
latitude
The distance of any point north or south of the equator, measured in degrees. -
longitude
The distance of any point east or west of the Greenwich line, measured in degrees. -
pinpoint location
The most central balancing point within a boundary or footprint outline. For buildings, use a 'city' field if coordinates are unknown or unclear. -
zoom level
The scale at which an object should ideally appear on a map for optimal viewing.