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Google Earth’s KML Now International Standard

April 14, 2008

KML ApprovedThe file format developed initially for Google Earth to exchange geographic information and mapping presentations is now an international standard. The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) will now take control over the KML standard. Here’s Google’s comments on the KML file format:

KML was originally created as a file format for Google Earth, allowing users to overlay their own content on top of our base maps and imagery. It’s since become something much larger — KML has become the HTML of geographic content, the dominant way to share user-created maps online. There are now tens of millions of KML files available online, hosted on more than 100,000 unique domain names. KML is supported by a large and growing number of vendors and products, and can no longer simply be described as Google Earth’s file format. Because it has transcended Google Earth in scope, and even outgrown Google itself, we have decided to give it away.

I know the Google team have been working hard to develop KML features and documentation, and working with the OGC over the course of the past few years to make this a standard. It’s a testament to their hard work, the support of millions of users of KML, and the support of many companies participating in the OGC that this standard has been accepted.
via Google Lat Long. Also, see CNET news article.

About Frank Taylor

Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.

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PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.

Comments

  1. Scott Ellis says

    April 14, 2008 at 3:58 pm

    “The Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) will now take control over the KML standard…”
    Does this mean that the KML spec and its updates will no longer be found at code.google.com/apis/kml ?
    What about the next version of KML? What are the next steps now that it is technically out of Google’s control? This is an interesting development.

  2. jpwade says

    April 19, 2008 at 8:45 am

    Fantastic!
    The adopted OpenGIS KML 2.2 Encoding Standard (OGC KML) is available at
    http://www.opengeospatial.org/standards/kml/

  3. Yousuf Usman says

    November 21, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    i want to upload my picture in google map, plz guid



PLEASE NOTE: Google Earth Blog is no longer writing regular posts. As a result, we are not accepting new comments or questions about Google Earth. If you have a question, use the official Google Earth and Maps Forums or the Google Earth Community Forums.

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