What is .SHP File Format and How to open it?
The .SHP file format is a vector data storage format for geographic information system (GIS) software. It is developed and regulated by Esri as a (mostly) open specification for data interoperability among Esri and other GIS software products.
A .SHP file stores geographic features in a vector format, which stores data points, lines and polygons as a collection of coordinates. It also stores related attribute information in an associated DBF file. The .SHP file format is often referred to as shapefiles because of the .SHP file extension.
The .SHP file format is commonly used for mapping applications and is widely supported by many GIS software programs, including ArcGIS, MapInfo, and QGIS. It is also supported by many other software applications, such as Autodesk AutoCAD, Adobe Illustrator, and CorelDRAW.
To open a .SHP file, it must first be imported into the GIS software program. This can be done by accessing the File menu, selecting “Open”, and then browsing to the location of the desired .SHP file. Once imported, the features contained in the .SHP file can be visualized and manipulated