How to Import GeoJSON into a Map Animation
GeoJSON is an open standard for encoding geographic shapes — lines, polygons, and points. Uploading a GeoJSON file into Mapimator lets you animate custom flight paths, district boundaries, sales territories, hiking trails, and any other geometry that does not exist in the default dataset.
4 min read · Updated May 1, 2025
What you'll learn
- Prepare a GeoJSON file for import
- Upload the file into the Studio
- Style and animate the imported geometry
- Understand which GeoJSON feature types import as what
Step-by-step guide
- 1
Prepare your GeoJSON file
Create or export a .geojson file from any mapping tool: draw shapes at geojson.io (free), export from QGIS, or download from a public data source. Confirm it is valid GeoJSON with a LineString, Polygon, or Point feature.
- 2
Navigate to the relevant area
In the Studio, navigate the map to the geographic area your GeoJSON covers. This makes it easier to see and interact with the imported geometry once it appears.
- 3
Click the data import button
In the Quick-Add Toolbar, click the GeoJSON import button (folder/upload icon). A file picker opens.
- 4
Select your .geojson file
Choose your file from your computer. Files up to 5MB load smoothly in the browser. Larger files may slow the Studio — simplify complex geometries in QGIS if needed.
- 5
Style the imported layer
Select the new layer on the map to open its properties in the right panel. Adjust fill color, stroke color, opacity, and line width. Line features (LineString) import as styled routes. Polygon features import as region fills. Point features import as pins.
- 6
Animate across slides
The imported geometry behaves exactly like any other sticker — it is anchored to real-world coordinates and stays visible as the camera moves. Use the Layer panel to control per-slide visibility if you want it to appear or disappear at a specific moment.
Interactive walkthrough coming soon
A visual step-by-step guide with annotated screenshots will be available here. In the meantime, follow the written steps above or watch the video tutorials.
Watch video tutorials →Pro tips
- Use geojson.io to draw and preview your shapes visually before importing — it is free and requires no account.
- For complex national or regional boundaries, search for official GeoJSON datasets from government open-data portals (e.g. data.gov, Eurostat).
- Simplify overly detailed polygons (thousands of vertices) to reduce file size — the visual difference is usually imperceptible at map zoom levels.