I’m researching using natural earth for a software project, so I pulled down a sample data file and had a peek into its dBase file, namely ne_50m_admin_0_countries.dbf
Here is a sample row from said file:
========================================
ScaleRank = 1
LabelRank = 1
FeatureCla = Admin-0 countries
SOVEREIGNT = South Africa
SOV_A3 = ZAF
ADM0_DIF = 0.00
LEVEL = 2.00
TYPE = Sovereign country
ADMIN = South Africa
ADM0_A3 = ZAF
GEOU_DIF = 0.00
GEOUNIT = South Africa
GU_A3 = ZAF
SU_DIF = 0.00
SUBUNIT = South Africa
SU_A3 = ZAF
NAME = South Africa
ABBREV = S.Af.
POSTAL = ZA
NAME_FORMA = Republic of South Africa
TERR_ =
NAME_SORT = South Africa
MAP_COLOR = 2.00
POP_EST = 49052489.00
GDP_MD_EST = 491000.00
FIPS_10_ = 0.00
ISO_A2 = ZA
ISO_A3 = ZAF
ISO_N3 = 710.00
========================================
Now, what the heck is all of this stuff? I can guess what fields like “SOVEREIGNT” and “NAME” are, but what the heck is “ISO_A3”, or “MAP_COLOR,” or “ScaleRank”?
I tried to look for documentation in various places both on naturalearthdata.com and in other places, but I can’t seem to find any. How exactly am I supposed to go about making sense of all those fields?
@Nathaniel – This reply would have answered my question, had the link been operative. As it is, I’m still looking.
Is there a better place to look?
JimT
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