KMZ is an acronym that stands for Keyhole Markup Language (KML) and Compressed Keyhole Markup Language (KMZ). KMZ is a file format used in geographical information systems (GIS) to store and distribute map data, overlays, and other spatially referenced information.
KMZ files are a compressed variant of KML files, a popular XML-based markup language developed by Keyhole, Inc., later acquired by Google, for representing geographic annotations and visualization on digital maps. KML files consist of a series of tags and elements that define points, lines, polygons, images, and other objects, along with their attributes and styling options.
When a KML file, along with any embedded images or icons, is compressed using a Zip algorithm, it becomes a KMZ file. The compression helps in reducing the file size, making it easier to share and distribute.
These KMZ files can be opened and viewed with compatible GIS software or applications such as Google Earth, allowing users to navigate and explore the geographical data in a three-dimensional environment. KMZ files may include various layers, enabling the user to turn on or off specific elements for enhanced visualization. They are widely used for sharing location-based information, creating interactive maps, and providing spatial context for data analysis.
In summary, KMZ refers to a compressed file format that contains geospatial data in the form of KML files, allowing users to visualize and work with maps and annotations in GIS applications.
