Geospatial Queries

This version of the documentation is archived and no longer supported. To upgrade your 6.0 deployment, see the MongoDB 7.0 upgrade procedures.

MongoDB supports query operations on geospatial data. This section introduces MongoDB's geospatial features.

Compatibility

You can use geospatial queries for deployments hosted in the following environments:

MongoDB Atlas: The fully managed service for MongoDB deployments in the cloud

MongoDB Enterprise: The subscription-based, self-managed version of MongoDB
MongoDB Community: The source-available, free-to-use, and self-managed version of MongoDB

For deployments hosted in MongoDB Atlas, you can run geospatial queries in the UI by using the query Filter bar or aggregation builder. To learn more, see Perform Geospatial Queries in Atlas.

Geospatial Data

In MongoDB, you can store geospatial data as GeoJSON objects or as legacy coordinate pairs.

GeoJSON Objects

To calculate geometry over an Earth-like sphere, store your location data as GeoJSON objects.

To specify GeoJSON data, use an embedded document with:

a field named type that specifies the GeoJSON object type, and
a field named coordinates that specifies the object's coordinates.

<field>: { type: <GeoJSON type> , coordinates: <coordinates> }

Important

If specifying latitude and longitude coordinates, list the longitude first, and then latitude.

Valid longitude values are between -180 and 180, both inclusive.
Valid latitude values are between -90 and 90, both inclusive.

For example, to specify a GeoJSON Point:

location: {
 type: "Point",
 coordinates: [-73.856077, 40.848447]
}

For a list of the GeoJSON objects supported in MongoDB as well as examples, see GeoJSON objects.

MongoDB geospatial queries on GeoJSON objects calculate on a sphere; MongoDB uses the WGS84 reference system for geospatial queries on GeoJSON objects.

Legacy Coordinate Pairs

To calculate distances on a Euclidean plane, store your location data as legacy coordinate pairs and use a 2d index. MongoDB supports spherical surface calculations on legacy coordinate pairs by using a 2dsphere index if you manually convert the data to the GeoJSON Point type.

To specify data as legacy coordinate pairs, you can use either an array (preferred) or an embedded document.

Specify via an array (Preferred):

<field>: [ <x>, <y> ]

If specifying latitude and longitude coordinates, list the longitude first and then latitude; i.e.

<field>: [<longitude>, <latitude> ]

Valid longitude values are between -180 and 180, both inclusive.
Valid latitude values are between -90 and 90, both inclusive.

Specify via an embedded document:

<field>: { <field1>: <x>, <field2>: <y> }

If specifying latitude and longitude coordinates, the first field, regardless of the field name, must contain the longitude value and the second field, the latitude value ; i.e.

<field>: { <field1>: <longitude>, <field2>: <latitude> }

Valid longitude values are between -180 and 180, both inclusive.
Valid latitude values are between -90 and 90, both inclusive.

To specify legacy coordinate pairs, arrays are preferred over an embedded document as some languages do not guarantee associative map ordering.

Geospatial Indexes

MongoDB provides the following geospatial index types to support the geospatial queries.

`2dsphere`

2dsphere indexes support queries that calculate geometries on an earth-like sphere.

To create a 2dsphere index, use the db.collection.createIndex() method and specify the string literal "2dsphere" as the index type:

db.collection.createIndex( { <location field> : "2dsphere" } )

where the <location field> is a field whose value is either a GeoJSON object or a legacy coordinates pair.

Note

If you try to create an index on a field that contains an array of geoJSON points, the index build fails and returns the following error:

MongoServerError: Index build failed

For more information on the 2dsphere index, see 2dsphere Indexes.

`2d`

2d indexes support queries that calculate geometries on a two-dimensional plane. Although the index can support $nearSphere queries that calculate on a sphere, if possible, use the 2dsphere index for spherical queries.

To create a 2d index, use the db.collection.createIndex() method, specifying the location field as the key and the string literal "2d" as the index type:

db.collection.createIndex( { <location field> : "2d" } )

where the <location field> is a field whose value is a legacy coordinates pair.

For more information on the 2d index, see 2d Indexes.

Geospatial Indexes and Sharded Collections

You cannot use a geospatial index as a shard key when sharding a collection. However, you can create a geospatial index on a sharded collection by using a different field as the shard key.

The following geospatial operations are supported on sharded collections:

$geoNear aggregation stage
$near and $nearSphere query operators

You can also query for geospatial data for a sharded cluster using $geoWithin and $geoIntersects.

Covered Queries

Geospatial indexes cannot cover a query.

Geospatial Queries

Note

For spherical queries, use the 2dsphere index result.

The use of 2d index for spherical queries may lead to incorrect results, such as the use of the 2d index for spherical queries that wrap around the poles.

Geospatial Query Operators

MongoDB provides the following geospatial query operators:

Name	Description
`$geoIntersects`	Selects geometries that intersect with a GeoJSON geometry. The 2dsphere index supports `$geoIntersects`.
`$geoWithin`	Selects geometries within a bounding GeoJSON geometry. The 2dsphere and 2d indexes support `$geoWithin`.
`$near`	Returns geospatial objects in proximity to a point. Requires a geospatial index. The 2dsphere and 2d indexes support `$near`.
`$nearSphere`	Returns geospatial objects in proximity to a point on a sphere. Requires a geospatial index. The 2dsphere and 2d indexes support `$nearSphere`.

For more details, including examples, see the individual reference page.

Geospatial Aggregation Stage

MongoDB provides the following geospatial aggregation pipeline stage:

Stage	Description
`$geoNear`	Returns an ordered stream of documents based on the proximity to a geospatial point. Incorporates the functionality of `$match`, `$sort`, and `$limit` for geospatial data. The output documents include an additional distance field and can include a location identifier field. `$geoNear` requires a geospatial index.

For more details, including examples, see $geoNear reference page.

Geospatial Models

MongoDB geospatial queries can interpret geometry on a flat surface or a sphere.

2dsphere indexes support only spherical queries (i.e. queries that interpret geometries on a spherical surface).

2d indexes support flat queries (i.e. queries that interpret geometries on a flat surface) and some spherical queries. While 2d indexes support some spherical queries, the use of 2d indexes for these spherical queries can result in error. If possible, use 2dsphere indexes for spherical queries.

The following table lists the geospatial query operators, supported query, used by each geospatial operations:

Operation	Spherical/Flat Query	Notes
`$near` (GeoJSON centroid point in this line and the following line, 2dsphere index)	Spherical	See also the `$nearSphere` operator, which provides the same functionality when used with GeoJSON and a 2dsphere index.
`$near` (legacy coordinates, 2d index)	Flat
`$nearSphere` (GeoJSON point, 2dsphere index)	Spherical	Provides the same functionality as `$near` operation that uses GeoJSON point and a 2dsphere index. For spherical queries, it may be preferable to use `$nearSphere` which explicitly specifies the spherical queries in the name rather than `$near` operator.
`$nearSphere` (legacy coordinates, 2d index)	Spherical	Use GeoJSON points instead.
`$geoWithin` : { `$geometry`: ... }	Spherical
`$geoWithin` : { `$box`: ... }	Flat
`$geoWithin` : { `$polygon`: ... }	Flat
`$geoWithin` : { `$center`: ... }	Flat
`$geoWithin` : { `$centerSphere`: ... }	Spherical
`$geoIntersects`	Spherical
`$geoNear` aggregation stage (2dsphere index)	Spherical
`$geoNear` aggregation stage (2d index)	Flat

Perform Geospatial Queries in Atlas

You can use the MongoDB Atlas UI to perform geospatial queries in Atlas.

Create an index

If your geospatial collection does not already have a geospatial index, you must create one.

Select the database for the collection.
The main panel and Namespaces on the left side list the collections in the database.
Select the collection.
Select the collection that contains your geospatial data on the left-hand side or in the main panel. The main panel displays the Find, Indexes, and Aggregation views.
Select the Index view.
When you open the Index view, Atlas displays any indexes that exist on the collection.
Define the Index for the geo Type
Press the Create Index button.
Define a geo Type index. Refer to How to Index GeoJSON Objects.

Query the geospatial data

Select the Find view.
From the collection that contains your geospatial data, select the Find tab to view your geospatial collection.

Enter a query.

Enter a query in the Filter text box. Use any of the geospatial query operators to perform the relevant query on your geospatial data. A geospatial query might resemble:

{
 "coordinates": {
 $geoWithin: {
 $geometry: {
 type: "Polygon",
 coordinates: [
 [
 [-80.0, 10.00], [ -80.0, 9.00], [ -79.0, 9.0], [ -79.0, 10.00 ], [ -80.0, 10.0 ]
 ]
 ]
 }
 }
 }
}

Press the Apply button.
Press the Apply button to apply your query. Atlas filters the geospatial data to show only documents that match your geospatial query.

You can create and execute aggregation pipelines to perform geospatial queries in the MongoDB Atlas UI.

Access the aggregation pipeline builder

Select the database for the collection.
The main panel and Namespaces on the left side list the collections in the database.
Select the collection.
Select the collection that contains your geospatial data on the left-hand side or in the main panel. The main panel displays the Find, Indexes, and Aggregation views.
Select the Aggregation view.
When you first open the Aggregation view, Atlas displays an empty aggregation pipeline.

Create your geospatial query aggregation pipeline

Select an aggregation stage.
Select an aggregation stage from the Select dropdown in the bottom-left panel.
The toggle to the right of the dropdown dictates whether the stage is enabled.
Use the $geoNear stage to perform geospatial queries in your aggregation pipeline.
Fill in your aggregation stage.
Fill in your stage with the appropriate values. If Comment Mode is enabled, the pipeline builder provides syntactic guidelines for your selected stage.
As you modify your stage, Atlas updates the preview documents on the right based on the results of the current stage.
Your $geoNear stage may resemble:
```
{
 near: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.9667, 40.78 ] },
 spherical: true,
 query: { category: "Parks" },
 distanceField: "calcDistance"
}
```
Run other pipeline stages as needed.
Add stages as needed to complete your aggregation pipeline. You might add $out or $merge to write the results to a view or the current collection.

Examples

Create a collection places with the following documents:

db.places.insertMany( [
 {
 name: "Central Park",
 location: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.97, 40.77 ] },
 category: "Parks"
 },
 {
 name: "Sara D. Roosevelt Park",
 location: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.9928, 40.7193 ] },
 category: "Parks"
 },
 {
 name: "Polo Grounds",
 location: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.9375, 40.8303 ] },
 category: "Stadiums"
 }
] )

The following operation creates a 2dsphere index on the location field:

db.places.createIndex( { location: "2dsphere" } )

The places collection above has a 2dsphere index. The following query uses the $near operator to return documents that are at least 1000 meters from and at most 5000 meters from the specified GeoJSON point, sorted in order from nearest to farthest:

db.places.find(
 {
 location:
 { $near:
 {
 $geometry: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.9667, 40.78 ] },
 $minDistance: 1000,
 $maxDistance: 5000
 }
 }
 }
)

The following operation uses the $geoNear aggregation operation to return documents that match the query filter { category: "Parks" }, sorted in order of nearest to farthest to the specified GeoJSON point:

db.places.aggregate( [
 {
 $geoNear: {
 near: { type: "Point", coordinates: [ -73.9667, 40.78 ] },
 spherical: true,
 query: { category: "Parks" },
 distanceField: "calcDistance"
 }
 }
] )

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