Oriented bounding box (minimum bounding rectangle)
A minimum-area rectangle that contains the geometry and may be rotated (unlike a standard axis-aligned bbox).
Category: Geometry · Also known as: minimum bounding rectangle, minimum area rectangle, rotated bbox, oriented envelope
Definition (expanded)
A normal bounding box is axis-aligned in the coordinate system. An oriented bounding box (minimum bounding rectangle) can rotate to fit the geometry more tightly, which is useful for footprints, shape analysis, and “best-fit” rectangles.
Common mistakes
- Expecting it to align with north/east (it can be rotated).
- Using it as a strict replacement for bbox in indexing (most indexes use axis-aligned bboxes).
Related terms
Bounding Box (BBox)A rectangle that fully contains a geometry, usually represented as [minX, minY, maxX, maxY].PolygonA closed area geometry defined by an exterior ring and optional interior rings (holes).MultiPolygonA geometry containing multiple polygons (parts), each with its own exterior ring and optional holes.AreaThe surface size of a polygon, usually reported in square meters or square kilometers.PerimeterThe boundary length of a polygon, often used as a quick complexity or shape metric.