Practical guide · United Kingdom
KML data in the United Kingdom: sources and checks
By datafromgov.com · Published 2026-10-28
Source export: 2026-08-30
The counts describe a saved catalogue. Check the source for current files and terms.
The saved catalogue lists 5,707 resource records with a KML label across 27 publishers.
This guide identifies sources in the United Kingdom and gives a procedure for the format.
The measurements describe the export dated 2026-08-30. They do not establish current download availability.
- Matching format declarations
- 5,707
- Publishers in this sample
- 27
- Share of listed declarations
- 2.9%
What the source records show
The selected country export contains 194,702 listed format declarations across 358 publishers.
KML accounts for 2.9% of that declaration total.
A resource record describes a file or a service. Several records can belong to one dataset.
The export retains up to 20 format labels per publisher. It excludes some small publishers and empty format labels.
Choose a source
The largest matching entry is Office for National Statistics.
It contributes 3,007 matching resource records, or 52.7% of this format sample.
The next entry contributes 1,615 matching records.
A large count indicates more catalogue records. It does not establish accuracy, completeness, or public access.
- Open a source record from the examples below.
- Confirm the geographic area and observation period on the source page.
- Read the licence for the selected dataset.
- Select the required file or service from the source page.
Inspect the format
KML describes geographic features and map presentation. A file can contain geometry, styles, and external links.
- Identify the placemarks and geometry types.
- Check coordinate order and altitude information.
- Inspect external network links before you load them.
- Keep feature names with their attribute values.
- Compare geometry counts after conversion to another format.
Check the result
A format label does not verify the file contents. A source can change its files after the catalogue export.
A metadata modification date can describe a catalogue edit. It does not necessarily describe the latest observation.
- Record the source URL, access date, and dataset title.
- Check the units and the definitions of the fields.
- Compare a small sample with the source documentation.
- Retain an original copy before any conversion.
- State any missing periods, regions, or values in the result.
How this comparison works
The calculation sums listed format declarations from the publisher export.
It groups equivalent format labels and retains separate counts for XLS, XLSX, TIFF, and GeoTIFF.
Compound labels can remain outside the selected format group. The source files retain the original labels.
The source records can include several versions of the same data. The totals do not count unique observations.
The examples are selections from stored catalogue samples. They do not list every matching dataset.
Publishers with this format
| Publisher | Matching resource records | Share of format sample |
|---|---|---|
| Office for National Statistics | 3,007 | 52.7% |
| OpenDataNI | 1,615 | 28.3% |
| North Sea Transition Authority | 242 | 4.2% |
| London Borough of Lambeth | 152 | 2.7% |
| Tunbridge Wells Borough Council | 149 | 2.6% |
| City of York Council | 145 | 2.5% |
| Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council | 89 | 1.6% |
| Gedling Borough Council | 54 | 0.9% |
| City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council | 52 | 0.9% |
| Sunderland City Council | 36 | 0.6% |
Dataset examples from the source catalogue
These titles come from stored source records. Some records lack a direct dataset URL.
Sub Integrated Care Board Locations (July 2022) Boundaries EN BFE
Office for National Statistics
Formats: gpkg, html, xlsx, gdb, kml · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
Output Areas (December 2021) Boundaries EW BFE (V9)
Office for National Statistics
Formats: gdb, kml, html, zip, gpkg · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
Linear Bedrock Unit
Formats: shp, html, geojson, csv, json, kml · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
Industry Lnight
Formats: shp, kml, geojson, csv, json, html · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
UKCS offshore petroleum unlicensed blocks (ETRS89)
North Sea Transition Authority
Formats: csv, xlsx, txt, kml, gpkg, html · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
UKCS relinquished petroleum licence blocks (WGS84)
North Sea Transition Authority
Formats: zip, gdb, geojson, xlsx, arcgis geoservices rest api, kml · Metadata date: 2026-08-27
Find this exact title on the source portal.
Sources and method
This article combines catalogue measurements with a reusable technical procedure. The calculations use the dated export above.
- Google KML reference
- Country catalogue and source details
- Format measurement method
- Export and reuse terms
Dataset titles remain subject to the source terms. Read the portal source details.