Section 72. About Customizing Your View by Adding and Removing Layers

72. About Customizing Your View by Adding and Removing Layers

BEFORE YOU BEGIN	SEE ALSO
Fly to a Location	Find Local Information with Google Earth Use Google Earth to Get Directions

One of the most powerful features of Google Earth is its capability to layer destinations and information on the top of satellite maps. On the lower-right side of the screen, beneath the map itself, are several layers you can add, such as lodging, dining, and roads, among others. (When you add the Roads layer, for example, the actual street names of roads are added to the map.) You turn on and off layers by checking the box next to them. You can also add 3D buildings by turning on the Buildings layer, show borders between countries and counties by turning on the Borders layer, and show a 3D topographical map by turning on the Terrain layer, among other options.

But those layers are just the beginning of the kinds of layers you can add to the map. At the bottom-left corner of the screen is the Layers pane, which has countless types of information you can layer on top of maps. Want to see volcanoes or earthquakes? There are layers for those. How about shopping malls or DVD rental stores? Yes, those are there as well. So are golf courses, schools, city borders, postal code borders, Congressional districts…I won't go on because the list seems to be endless. (Note that some information, such as the Crime Stats layer, is available for only some locations.) Try them out, but be forewarned that layers are addictive, and you might find yourself spending more hours than you want zooming around the world, finding bars, volcanoes, and ATM machines.