Convert GML to Shapefile Online — Free & Instant
GML files from WFS services and INSPIRE portals often need to be converted to Shapefile for use in desktop GIS tools like QGIS and ArcGIS. Maparz converts your GML to a ZIP archive containing all required Shapefile components, ready for immediate use in any GIS application.
File converter
When to convert GML to Shapefile
- Converting WFS GML responses to Shapefile for ArcGIS or QGIS analysis
- Downloading INSPIRE GML data and converting to Shapefile for GIS projects
- Transforming government GML datasets to Shapefile for legacy GIS workflows
How to convert GML to Shapefile
- 1
Upload your GML
Drop your .gml file on the upload zone.
- 2
Select Shapefile
Click Shapefile .zip in the format selector.
- 3
Download and unzip
Unzip and open the .shp in QGIS or ArcGIS.
About GML
Geography Markup Language (GML) is an XML-based OGC standard for encoding geographic features. It is the mandatory format for the EU INSPIRE directive and is commonly used in Web Feature Services (WFS) to deliver geospatial data over the web. GML files are highly interoperable across GIS platforms and are natively supported by GDAL, QGIS, ArcGIS, and GeoServer. GML can represent complex geometries, coordinate reference systems, and rich attribute schemas, making it the format of choice for authoritative government and infrastructure datasets.
Strengths
- +OGC standard — maximum interoperability
- +Mandatory for EU INSPIRE datasets
- +Supports complex geometries and CRS metadata
- +Native support in QGIS, ArcGIS, and GeoServer
About Shapefile
Shapefile (SHP) is the de-facto standard vector format developed by Esri. A shapefile is actually a collection of at least three files: .shp (geometry), .dbf (attributes), and .shx (index). Despite its age, it remains the most widely-supported format across GIS desktop software including ArcGIS and QGIS. Shapefiles support points, lines, and polygons but are limited to 2 GB in size and 10-character field names. When sharing shapefiles, always bundle them into a .zip archive.
Strengths
- +Universal compatibility with all GIS software
- +Stable, well-documented format
- +Supported natively by QGIS, ArcGIS, GRASS
Frequently asked questions
Q.Will GML field names be truncated?
Shapefile field names are limited to 10 characters. GDAL automatically truncates longer GML attribute names.
Q.What if my GML uses a local coordinate system?
Maparz preserves the CRS from the GML. The Shapefile .prj file will contain the correct projection information.