Types of 2-D Geographic Plots

This table lists the functions you can use to plot data into geographic axes and map axes.

Point Plots Line and Polygon Plots Raster Plots Data Distribution Plots Animations Annotations

Point Plots	Line and Polygon Plots	Raster Plots	Data Distribution Plots	Animations	Annotations
Display points using the `geoplot` function.	Display lines using the `geoplot` function.	Display RGB and grayscale images using the `geoimage` function. (since R2026a)	Create a bubble chart using the `bubblechart` function.	Create a comet plot using the `comet` function.	Display text using the `text` function.
Create a scatter plot using the `geoscatter` function.	Display polygons using the `geoplot` function. This function is useful for creating choropleth maps.	Create a pseudocolor raster plot using the `geopcolor` function. This function is useful for displaying elevation data and creating heatmaps. (since R2026a)	Create a density plot using the `geodensityplot` function. This function does not support map axes objects.	Create an animated line using the `animatedline` function.
Display icons using the `geoiconchart` function. (since R2024b)

Blue points displayed on a world map

Display points using the geoplot function.

Blue lines displayed over a map of Europe

Display lines using the geoplot function.

Satellite imagery displayed on a world map

Display RGB and grayscale images using the geoimage function. (since R2026a)

Bubbles of varying colors and sizes on a world map

Create a bubble chart using the bubblechart function.

Yellow line displayed on a world map. One end of the line has a blue circle marker.

Create a comet plot using the comet function.

City names displayed on a map of Europe

Display text using the text function.

Blue circle markers displayed on a world map

Create a scatter plot using the geoscatter function.

Blue polygons representing land areas displayed on a world map

Display polygons using the geoplot function. This function is useful for creating choropleth maps.

Elevation data displayed on a world map

Create a pseudocolor raster plot using the geopcolor function. This function is useful for displaying elevation data and creating heatmaps. (since R2026a)

Blue density plot displayed on a map

Create a density plot using the geodensityplot function. This function does not support map axes objects.

Black line displayed on a world map

Create an animated line using the animatedline function.

Display icons using the geoiconchart function. (since R2024b)

Plot Data into Geographic Axes

When you plot data into a geographic axes, some functions require you to create the axes first.

Functions such as geoplot, geoscatter, and geopcolor do not require you to create the axes before plotting. If the current axes is not a geographic axes or map axes, or if there is no current axes, the functions create a new geographic axes before plotting.
Functions such as bubblechart, comet, and animatedline plot data using a Cartesian axes by default. To use these functions with a geographic axes, first create the geographic axes using one of these strategies:
- Plot geographic data using a function such as geoplot, geoscatter, or geopcolor.
- Set up a map with the specified basemap or geographic limits by using the geobasemap or geolimits function, respectively.
- Use the geoaxes function. Note that, if an axes already exists, the geoaxes function adds a new geographic axes to the figure without removing existing axes.
Then, specify the axes as input to the plotting function, or set the hold state of the axes to on by using the hold function.

For more examples that create maps using geographic axes, see:

Plot Data into Map Axes

To plot data into a map axes, you must create the map axes first. Create a map axes from a projected coordinate reference system (CRS) by using the newmap function. Specify the projected CRS by using a projcrs object.

The strategy you use to plot data into the map axes depends on the function.

When the current axes is a map axes, functions such as geoplot, geoscatter, and geopcolor plot data using the map axes.
By default, functions such as bubblechart, comet, and animatedline plot data using a Cartesian axes. To use these functions with a map axes, specify the map axes as input to the plotting function, or set the hold state of the map axes to on by using the hold function.

For more examples that create maps using map axes, see:

Types of 2-D Geographic Plots

Plot Data into Geographic Axes

Plot Data into Map Axes

See Also

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