What map data is available in MATLAB to load and use with the Mapping Toolbox?

I would like to be able to load a set of basic worldwide mapping data that I can use as base layers of my own maps. For example, I would like to be able to load maps of worldwide cities, country and continent borders, roads, streams/rivers, etc.

MATLAB gives an example of loading and plotting built-in coastline data at the following link:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/map/create-a-world-map.html

Are there other mapping data sets that I can load in a similar way, and how can I find a list of what data is available?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

MATLAB provides a set of sample map data that can be loaded and used in the Mapping Toolbox. For a description of the files that are available, run the command:

>> helpwin mapdata

To simply list all of the available files in the command window, run:

>> ls(fullfile(matlabroot, 'toolbox', 'map', 'mapdata'))

To search for additional data that can be used as the base layer of a map, you can utilize the Web Map Service (WMS), which provides public access to hundreds of thousands of layers of geographic data. The Mapping Toolbox contains a database of over 1000 stored WMS servers and provides functions to allow you to search for and retrieve desired data.

The Web Map Service:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/map/web-map-service.html

Example of retrieving data from a server:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/map/basic-workflow-for-creating-wms-maps.html