Spatial Analysis in R

Spatial analysis focuses on analyzing data that has a geographic or location-based component.

It helps answer questions related to where things happen, not just what happens.

What Is Spatial Data?

Spatial data includes information about locations, shapes, and distances.

Each data point is linked to coordinates such as latitude and longitude.

Types of Spatial Data

• Point data – individual locations (e.g., stores, sensors)
• Line data – roads, paths, rivers
• Polygon data – regions, boundaries, areas

Why Spatial Analysis Matters

Spatial analysis is widely used across many industries.

• Urban planning and mapping
• Environmental studies
• Transportation and logistics
• Business location analysis

Key R Packages for Spatial Analysis

R provides powerful libraries for handling spatial data.

• sf – simple features for spatial data
• sp – traditional spatial data handling
• ggplot2 – visualization of spatial objects

Installing Spatial Packages

Before working with spatial data, required packages must be installed.

install.packages("sf")
install.packages("sp")

Working with Spatial Objects

Spatial objects store both geometry and attribute data together.

This makes analysis and visualization easier and more structured.

library(sf)
data_sf <- st_read("data.shp")

Understanding Coordinate Systems

Coordinate Reference Systems (CRS) define how spatial data is mapped on Earth.

Using consistent CRS is important for accurate spatial analysis.

st_crs(data_sf)

Plotting Spatial Data

Visualizing spatial data helps identify geographic patterns quickly.

R allows simple plotting with minimal code.

plot(data_sf)

Basic Spatial Operations

Spatial analysis includes operations such as intersections and distances.

• Finding nearby locations
• Measuring distances
• Checking overlaps

Why Learn Spatial Analysis?

Spatial skills are increasingly valuable in data science and analytics.

They enable location-based insights and smarter decision-making.

📝 Practice Exercises

Exercise 1

Explain what spatial data means.

Exercise 2

Install the sf package.

Exercise 3

Load a spatial file using R.

Exercise 4

Plot a spatial dataset.

✅ Practice Answers

Answer 1

Spatial data represents information that includes geographic location.

Answer 2

install.packages("sf")

Answer 3

st_read("data.shp")

Answer 4

plot(data_sf)

What’s Next?

In the next lesson, you will explore Text Mining and learn how R processes textual data.