World Vector Shoreline Plus

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Originator: National Imagery and Mapping Agency, now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)

Description: The Vector Product Format (VPF) version of the World Vector Shoreline consists of a single worldwide database called WVSPLUS®. Six libraries will exist at scales ranging from 1:250,000 to 1:120,000,000. Each library contains a Countries/Coastlines/Oceans (COC) coverage including both line and area features such as coastlines, political boundary lines and other lines of separation, administrative areas, and oceans. Each library also contains the following reference coverages: library reference (LIBREF), which gives an overview of the library; tile reference (TILEREF), which defines the tiling scheme for each library; and names placement (GAZETTE), which contains point features that represent the approximate centroid of each locality in the WVSPLUS database. The maritime boundaries (MAB) and maritime boundaries supplemental (MBS) coverages contain maritime claims for each country as derived from the Maritime Claims Reference Manual, DOD 2005.1M, 2001. MAB and MBS are found only in the WVS250K library (1:250,000 scale). The bathymetry (BAT) coverage exists only in the WVS003M, WVS012M, and WVS040M libraries and contains depth contours and depth areas derived from the digital bathymetric database product. See the VPF World Vector Shoreline (WVSPLUS) Draft Specification (MIL-PRF-89012A dated August 24, 1999) for a detailed product definition, and the Vector Product Formal (VPF) Military Standard (MIL-STD-2407) for more descriptions of VPF.

Purpose: Mission planning and various other computer display command and control systems.

Scale(s): 1:250,000, 1:1,000,000, 1:3,000,000, 1:12,000,000, 1:40,000,000 and 1:120,000,000.

Coverage: Worldwide

Source Data: Digital Landmass Blanking (DLMB) data, which were derived primarily from the Joint Operations Graphics and coastal nautical charts produced by the predecessor agency, the Defense Mapping Agency (DMA). The source of bathymetric data is a digital bathymetric database (DBDB5), gridded bathymetry produced by comparing and integrating available bathymetric soundings with cartographic sources. DBDB5 contains gridded values at five-minute spacings and has a resolution equivalent to a 1:4,000,000 scale chart. The MAB and MBS coverages contain maritime claims for each country as derived from the Maritime Claims Reference Manual, DOD 2005.1M, 2001.

Spatial Reference: Horizontal Datum - World Geodetic System (WGS 84) 

Tidal Datum: Mean High Water (MHW) 

Data Format: The World Vector Shoreline Plus is available in Vector Product Format (VPF).

Seamless: Yes

Potential Applications: Mission planning and various other computer display command and control systems. Regional and global scale shoreline data.

Process Description: WVSPLUS data was processed through the Digital Capture and Finishing Environment (DCAFE) production system. The feature content follows WVSPLUS Performance Specification, MIL-PRF-0089012A, dated 990824. During the finishing process, the data was taken through a series of product validations. The attribution was checked, topology was verified as correct, and text features were generated. It was then exported to the final VPF product structure where it was again placed through a series of validations to ensure the data conforms with the VPF standards. Every effort was made to correct all known errors.

NGA Disclaimers:

THESE DATA ARE NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. 
The representation of international boundaries and maritime limits is not necessarily authoritative and does not necessarily represent an official acceptance by the United States government of the limits claimed. 
Some sea extensions of the international boundaries could not be derived from the Department of State’s “Limits of the Seas” series or the Department of Defense’s Maritime Claims Reference Manual and therefore had to be geometrically derived. 
The shoreline is referenced to mean high water. 
WVSPLUS computes a 12-mile territorial sea boundary measured from the coastline or, when present, a claimed straight baseline. This baseline may or may not be recognized by the United States; therefore, the depicted 12-mile territorial sea boundary also may or may not be recognized by the United States; in part or in its entirety.