Perimeter
Overview
Perimeter is the total length of the boundary of a spatial feature, such as a polygon, often used in GIS analysis to measure the size or shape of geographic entities. Perimeter is calculated by summing the lengths of all edges forming the feature boundary.
Key Concepts
Boundary length is the sum of all edge segments. Units depend on the coordinate system (meters, feet, degrees). Geodesic vs. planar affects accuracy for large or high-latitude features. Shape index uses perimeter/area ratios to characterize shape complexity.
Calculations
- Planar: Sum of Euclidean distances between vertices
- Geodesic: Sum of great circle distances (more accurate for geographic CRS)
Use Cases
- Calculating fence/boundary lengths
- Shape complexity analysis (compactness ratios)
- Edge effects in ecological analysis
- Cost estimation for linear features
Appendix
Created: 2025-12-13 | Modified: 2025-12-13