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KMZ is a compressed (ZIP) version of KML (Keyhole Markup Language), Google Earth's native format for geographic data. A KMZ file bundles a KML document with its associated resources — images, 3D models, textures, screen overlays — into a single portable package. The name "Keyhole" comes from Keyhole Inc., the company Google acquired to create Google Earth.
Inside a KMZ archive, the main KML file must be named `doc.kml` and sit at the root level. Associated files (icons, photos, COLLADA 3D models) go in subdirectories. The KML content describes placemarks, polygons, paths, ground overlays, screen overlays, 3D models, tours, and time-based animations — all positioned on the globe using geographic coordinates. KMZ files are typically 10-50x smaller than their uncompressed KML equivalents.
KMZ is widely used in GIS, urban planning, environmental monitoring, real estate, journalism, and education. Google Earth and Google Maps are the primary consumers, but many GIS tools (QGIS, ArcGIS, GRASS) also support the format. If you need to share geographic visualisations with non-technical audiences, KMZ is often the most accessible option — Google Earth is free and runs on everything.