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How to Integrate a Map in Python?

Published in Python Mapping Libraries 4 mins read

You can easily integrate a map in Python using the folium library, which allows you to create interactive maps that you can display in various environments.

Integrating a map into your Python application is straightforward with the right tools. One of the most popular libraries for this purpose is folium. It leverages the power of JavaScript libraries like Leaflet.js to render interactive maps directly from Python code.

Using Folium for Map Integration

The core functionality for creating a basic map with folium comes from the folium.Map() function. As highlighted in the reference, you can use the Map() function from folium and providing a latitude and longitude to center the map. This function creates a map object centered at the specified coordinates, using the default basemap from OpenStreetMap.

Getting Started with Folium

Before you can create a map, you need to install the library.

  1. Install Folium:
    Open your terminal or command prompt and run:

    pip install folium

  2. Create a Basic Map:
    Import the library and call the Map() function, passing a list containing the latitude and longitude for the map's center. You can also specify a starting zoom level.

    import folium

# Define the coordinates (e.g., San Francisco)
latitude = 37.7749
longitude = -122.4194

# Create a map object centered at the coordinates
# The map is created using the default basemap from OpenStreetMap
m = folium.Map(location=[latitude, longitude], zoom_start=12)

# Now you have a map object 'm'
# You can add markers, layers, etc., to this map object

Displaying or Saving the Map

Once you have created the map object (m in the example above), you need to render it to view it. Folium maps are typically saved as HTML files, which can then be opened in a web browser.

  • Save as HTML File:
    This is the most common way to integrate the map for later viewing or sharing.

    # Save the map to an HTML file
m.save("my_python_map.html")

    You can then open the my_python_map.html file in any web browser to see your interactive map.

  • Display in Jupyter Notebook/Lab:
    If you are working in an interactive environment like Jupyter Notebook or JupyterLab, the map object will automatically render its HTML representation when called as the last expression in a cell.

    import folium

latitude = 37.7749
longitude = -122.4194

m = folium.Map(location=[latitude, longitude], zoom_start=12)

# The map will be displayed directly in the output cell
m

Key Parameters for folium.Map()

The folium.Map() function accepts several important parameters to customize the initial view of your map:

Parameter Description Example
location A list or tuple [latitude, longitude] specifying the center of the map. (Required for centering) [37.7749, -122.4194]
zoom_start The initial zoom level for the map. Higher numbers mean closer zoom. Default is usually around 10. 12
tiles Specifies the basemap tiles. Defaults to 'OpenStreetMap'. Can be other options like 'Stamen Terrain', 'CartoDB Positron', etc. 'CartoDB dark_matter'
attr Attribution text for custom tile layers. Not needed for built-in tiles. 'Map data © Custom Source'

By using the folium.Map() function and providing location coordinates, you can effectively integrate a centered map into your Python projects, ready for further customization with markers, popups, and layers.

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