Mapping Toolbox™

worldmap - Construct map axes for given region of world

Syntax

worldmap region worldmap(region) worldmap worldmap(latlim, lonlim) worldmap(Z, R) h = worldmap(...)

worldmap region or worldmap(region) sets up an empty map axes with projection and limits suitable to the part of the world specified in region. region can be a string or a cell array of strings. Permissible strings include names of continents, countries, and islands as well as 'World', 'North Pole', 'South Pole', and 'Pacific'.

worldmap with no arguments presents a menu from which you can select the name of a single continent, country, island, or region.

worldmap(latlim, lonlim) allows you to define a custom geographic region in terms of its latitude and longitude limits in degrees. latlim and lonlim are two-element vectors of the form [southern_limit northern_limit] and [western_limit eastern_limit], respectively.

worldmap(Z, R) derives the map limits from the extent of a regular data grid or georeferenced image Z, with 3-by-2 referencing matrix or 1-by-3 referencing vector R.

h = worldmap(...) returns the handle of the map axes.

For cylindrical projections, worldmap uses tightmap set the axis limits tight around the map. If you change the projection, or just want more white space around the map frame, use tightmap again or axis auto.

Examples

Example 1

Set up a world map and draw coarse coastlines:

worldmap('World')
load coast
plotm(lat, long)

Example 2

Set up worldmap with land areas, major lakes and rivers, and cities and populated places:

ax = worldmap('World');
setm(ax, 'Origin', [0 180 0])
land = shaperead('landareas', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
geoshow(ax, land, 'FaceColor', [0.5 0.7 0.5])
lakes = shaperead('worldlakes', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
geoshow(lakes, 'FaceColor', 'blue')
rivers = shaperead('worldrivers', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
geoshow(rivers, 'Color', 'blue')
cities = shaperead('worldcities', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
geoshow(cities, 'Marker', '.', 'Color', 'red')

Example 3

Draw a map of Antarctica:

worldmap('antarctica')
antarctica = shaperead('landareas', 'UseGeoCoords', true,...
  'Selector',{@(name) strcmp(name,'Antarctica'), 'Name'});
patchm(antarctica.Lat, antarctica.Lon, [0.5 1 0.5])

Example 4

Draw a map of Africa and India with major cities and populated places:

worldmap({'Africa','India'})
land = shaperead('landareas.shp', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
geoshow(land, 'FaceColor', [0.15 0.5 0.15])
cities = shaperead('worldcities', 'UseGeoCoords', true);

Example 5

Make a map of the geoid over South America and the central Pacific:

worldmap([-50 50],[160 -30])
load geoid
geoshow(geoid, geoidrefvec, 'DisplayType', 'texturemap');
load coast
geoshow(lat, long)

Example 6

Draw a map of terrain elevations in Korea:

load korea
h = worldmap(map, refvec);
set(h, 'Visible', 'off')
geoshow(h, map, refvec, 'DisplayType', 'texturemap')
colormap(demcmap(map))

Example 7

Make a map of the United States of America, coloring state polygons:

ax = worldmap('USA');
load coast
geoshow(ax, lat, long,...
'DisplayType', 'polygon', 'FaceColor', [.45 .60 .30])
states = shaperead('usastatelo', 'UseGeoCoords', true);
faceColors = makesymbolspec('Polygon',...
    {'INDEX', [1 numel(states)], 'FaceColor', ...
    polcmap(numel(states))}); % NOTE - colors are random
geoshow(ax, states, 'DisplayType', 'polygon', ...
  'SymbolSpec', faceColors)