From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

KML (Keyhole Markup Language) is an XML-based language for managing three-dimensional geospatial data in the program Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Mobile. (The word Keyhole is an earlier name for the software that became Google Earth; the software was produced in turn by Keyhole, Inc, which was acquired by Google in 2004. The term "Keyhole" actually honors the KH reconnaissance satellites, the original eye-in-the-sky military reconnaissance system now some 30 years old.)

The KML file specifies a set of features (placemarks, images, polygons, 3D models, textual descriptions, etc.) for display in Google Earth, Maps and Mobile. Each place always has a longitude and a latitude. Other data can make the view more specific, such as tilt, heading, altitude, which together define a "camera view". KML shares some of the same structural grammar as GML[1]. Some KML information cannot be viewed in Google Maps or Mobile [2].

KML files are very often distributed as KMZ files, which are zipped KML files with a .kmz extension. When a KMZ file is unzipped, a single "doc.kml" is found along with any overlay and icon images referenced in the KML.

Example KML document:

 
 
 
   New York City
   New York City
   
     -74.006393,40.714172,0
   
 
 

• Geography Markup Language
• CityGML
• GPX

• Use hierarchical maps Mindmaps to create and manage KML files and convert Excel data to KML.
• Google Earth KML Tutorial
• Google Earth KML/KMZ Placemarks (37,568 as of 2005-07-11)
• Address Fix - Generate your KML with this online street address geocoder using Google Maps
• Official Google Earth User Guide - Describes how to use Google Earth
• More Google Earth KML/KMZ Placemarks (14,062 as of 2006-07-13)
• Google Earth - Sightseeing (KMZ files)
• Google Earth Blog Examples and tips on KML and other Google Earth information
• Google Earth kmz files Collection startpage] 80 placemark collections in 20 categories
• GE Chess: A multiplayer 3D Interactive Chess Game written in KML/PHP
• KML discussion forum
• Google Earth Connectivity Add-on for ArchiCAD 9
• KMLImporter importing placemarks into NASA World Wind
• RADAR Image and Warning Output as KML/KMZ from the National Weather Service