Convert Shapefile to GML Online — Free & Instant
GML (Geography Markup Language) is the OGC standard format required for INSPIRE-compliant datasets, WFS services, and government data exchange. Converting your Shapefile to GML produces an interoperable XML document that can be served via GeoServer, loaded into QGIS, or submitted to government portals that mandate GML delivery. Maparz uses GDAL to produce standards-compliant GML output.
File converter
When to convert Shapefile to GML
- Preparing Shapefile data for submission to INSPIRE-compliant portals
- Publishing Shapefile layers via a WFS (Web Feature Service) as GML
- Converting government Shapefiles to GML for data exchange with other agencies
- Delivering GML to clients or systems that require OGC-standard formats
How to convert Shapefile to GML
- 1
Upload your Shapefile
Drop your .shp file or ZIP bundle on the upload zone.
- 2
Select GML
Click GML in the format selector.
- 3
Download the GML
The .gml file is valid OGC GML ready for WFS publishing or INSPIRE submission.
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
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
Frequently asked questions
Q.Is the output GML INSPIRE-compliant?
GDAL produces OGC GML 2 or GML 3 output. For INSPIRE compliance, additional schema validation and namespace configuration may be required for specific INSPIRE themes.
Q.Can GeoServer serve GML from this output?
Yes. GeoServer can read GML files as a data store and serve them via WFS endpoints.
Q.What GML version does the output use?
GDAL defaults to GML 2.1.2. The CRS and geometry are fully preserved from the input Shapefile.