2 Spatial data types

This chapter covers

  • geometry, geography, and raster spatial types and subtypes
  • geometry and geography type modifiers
  • Spatial catalog tables
  • How to create spatial columns and populate them

In the first chapter we teased you with the potential that you can unlock with PostGIS. This chapter will start to show you how by delving deeper into the core spatial data types bundled with PostGIS. We’ll discuss each spatial type in detail. Once you’ve completed this chapter, you should know how to create table columns of these various types and how to populate them with spatial data.

Do keep in the back of your mind that PostgreSQL has its own built-in geometric types. These are point, polygon, lseg, box, circle, and path. PostgreSQL ...

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