This Use Case creates Google Maps / Google Earth-compatible Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files from R Spatial objects containing data from vector ESRI Shape Files and raster GeoTiff files. The case demonstrates three techniques for writing R Spatial objects into KML files, and one technique for reading KML files into R Spatial objects. Also revealed: reading polygon KML files into R Spatial objects. This case also introduces the functionality of the recently released RGoogleMaps package. We demonstrate use of this package to download a static GoogleMaps map image and use it as the background for R spatial object plots. Click here to step directly to this section of the Use Case. Click here to see the raster (terrain) image and vector (streams) shape files displayed in GoogleEarth. National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis 735 State Street, Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Copyright © 2013 The Regents of the University of California, All Rights Reserved UC Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara CA 93106 | 805-893-8000 Terms of Use | Accessibility | webmaster@nceas.ucsb.edu Source.