STATE_BOUNDS: internal US state boundaries

Frequently-anticipated questions:

• What does this data set describe?
  1. How should this data set be cited?
  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?
  3. What does it look like?
  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?
  5. What is the general form of this data set?
  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?
• Who produced the data set?
  1. Who are the originators of the data set?
  2. Who also contributed to the data set?
  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?
• Why was the data set created?
• How was the data set created?
  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?
  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?
  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?
• How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?
  1. How well have the observations been checked?
  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?
  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?
  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?
  5. How consistent are the relationships among the data, including topology?
• How can someone get a copy of the data set?
  1. Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?
  2. Who distributes the data?
  3. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?
  4. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?
  5. How can I download or order the data?
• Who wrote the metadata?

Title: STATE_BOUNDS: internal US state boundaries

Abstract:

This ArcView shapefile represents the internal boundaries of the United States and the political boundaries between the US, Canada and Mexico.

This data layer includes the internal boundaries for the United States and the political boundaries of the US, Canada and Mexico. The state boundaries are drawn to the US coastline and does not include any coastline or islands. This data layer may be used with the high resolution NOS80K coastline (allus80k.shp) which does not include any internal boundaries.

Supplemental_Information:

This dataset has been clipped to the extent of the GIS project extent.

1. How should this data set be cited?

   Paskevich, Valerie, 2003, STATE_BOUNDS: internal US state boundaries: U.S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, MA.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-221/data/basemaps/boundaries/state_bounds/state_bounds.zip>

   This is part of the following larger work.

   Hallett, Benjamin W. , Paskevich, Valerie, Poppe, Lawrence, Brand, Stephen G. , and Blackwood, Dann S. , 2003, A Pictorial Survey of the Bedrock Beneath Western Cape Cod, Massachusetts: Open-File Report 03-221, U. S. Geological Survey, Coastal and Marine Geology Program, Woods Hole Field Center, Woods Hole, MA.

   Online Links:

   • <http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-221>
   • <http://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/openfile/of03-221>

   Other_Citation_Details:

   Data are released via CD-ROM media. This digital publication may also be available via the web at pubs.usgs.gov

2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

   West_Bounding_Coordinate: -73.662374

   East_Bounding_Coordinate: -67.158958

   North_Bounding_Coordinate: 47.459687

   South_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.988850

3. What does it look like?

   state_bounds (GIF)

   Image showing extent and coverage of the state_bounds shapefile for the GIS project extent.

4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

   Calendar_Date: 04-Oct-2002

   Currentness_Reference: publication date

5. What is the general form of this data set?

   Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

6. How does the data set represent geographic features?
   1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • String (9)

   2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Horizontal positions are specified in geographic coordinates, that is, latitude and longitude. Latitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Longitudes are given to the nearest 0.0001. Latitude and longitude values are specified in Decimal degrees.

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.
      

7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

   state_bounds.dbf

   Shapefile Attribute Table (Source: ESRI)

   FID

   Internal feature number. (Source: ESRI)

   Sequential unique whole numbers that are automatically generated.

   Shape

   Feature geometry. (Source: ESRI)

   Coordinates defining the features.

   ID

   Assigned feature id and has no applicable relevance to the data. (Source: User Defined)

   LENGTH

   Length of line in native units (Source: User Defined)

1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)
   • Valerie Paskevich

2. Who also contributed to the data set?

   The true origin of this dataset is compiled from ESRI's 50 individual state 'trct' files. Please view the Source Information for more details

3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

   Valerie Paskevich
   U. S. Geological Survey
   Computer Specialist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

This dataset was created to be used with the NOS80K coastline (allus80k.shp) to provide state bounds without redrawing the coastline. In creating the data layer, some issues of the NOS80K coastline became apparent. One example, is the US/Mexico boundary. The NOS80K coastline closes and draws a straight line well below the Texas border. The same type of problem can be seen around the US/Canada boundary of the Great Lakes. The state_bounds.shp will draw the political boundaries while the allus80k.shp file will display the US beyond the political boundaries. If this is unacceptable to the user, they should consider masking the annexed US possession.

1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

   usa.shp (source 1 of 1)

   Paskevich, Valerie, Unpublished Material, USA: United States basemap data layer.

   Type_of_Source_Media: disc

   Source_Contribution:

   The compiled usa.shp file was used as the source for this new data layer.

2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

   Date: 03-Oct-2002 (process 1 of 2)

   The usa.shp file was copied and edited to remove the coastline and islands. Because the file contained shapes for the individual states, duplicate common boundaries were numerous. The file was edited further to remove these duplicate shapes and remove the original table information. A final clean-up was done to combine (UNION) line segments and reduce the number of individual shapes.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Computer Specialist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • usa.shp

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • state_bounds.shp

   Date: 06-Nov-2002 (process 2 of 2)

   The source dataset was clipped to the extent of the GIS project area.

   Person who carried out this activity:
   

   Valerie Paskevich
   U.S. Geological Survey
   Information Specialist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

   Data sources used in this process:

   • state_bounds.dbf
   • state_bounds.shp
   • state_bounds.shx

   Data sources produced in this process:

   • state_bounds.dbf
   • state_bounds.shp
   • state_bounds.shx

3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

1. How well have the observations been checked?

2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

   This data set contains the internal boundaries for the continental US and the US/Canada and US/Mexico political boundaries.

5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

   No additional checks for topological consistency were performed on this data set.

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints: None

1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

   U.S. Geological Survey
   c/o Valerie Paskevich
   Computer Specialist
   384 Woods Hole Road
   Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
   USA
   

   (508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
   (508) 457-2310 (FAX)
   vpaskevich@usgs.gov
   

2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

   Downloadable Data; Bedrock Beneath Western Cape Cod, MA, state_bounds.shp

3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

   Although this derived data set and its lineage dataset have been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data and/or related materials. The act of distribution shall not constitute any such warranty, and no responsibility is assumed by the USGS in the use of these data or related materials.

4. How can I download or order the data?
   • Availability in digital form:

     Data format:	The three files that comprise the ArcView shapefile (state_bounds.dbf, state_bounds.shp, state_bounds.shx, state_bounds.prj, state_bounds.avl), 'prj' and 'avl' files, metadata and browse graphic. in format Shapefile (version ArcView 3.2) ESRI shapefile Size: 0.353
     Media you can order:	CD-ROM (Density 650 Mbytes) Note: The user must have a computer system with a CD-ROM available. To browse the information contained on this CD-ROM, the user must have a current WWW browser available. The user must also have software installed on their computer to unzip the archived file.

   • Cost to order the data: none

5. What hardware or software do I need in order to use the data set?

   The base map overlay is available as an ArcView shapefile format. Use of these data requires software that supports ArcView® GIS shapefiles. In lieu of Arcview or ArcGIS, the user may utilize another GIS application package capable of importing the data.

Dates:

Last modified: 07-Dec-2003

Metadata author:

U.S. Geological Survey
c/o Valerie Paskevich
Computer Specialist
384 Woods Hole Road
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1598
USA

(508) 548-8700 x2281 (voice)
(508) 457-2310 (FAX)
vpaskevich@usgs.gov

Metadata standard:

FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)