SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services supports the visualization of geographical data in 3 ways.

• Datasets, based on the built-in .Net System-datatypes “geography” and “geometry”, which have been around since SQL Server 2008
• via built-in maps – but only for the United States
• via ESRI-Shapefiles, which one has to provide on his own

Now, where can you get those Shape-files?

Other, than in the USA where gathered data belongs to the people, with no cost (Census Bureau Geography), in other countries, such as in Germany, it is by far not easy, to even get such datat all.

In the following, I am collecting internet-sites, where one can find geographical data. I'd be happy to include more URLs, if you found a good one, to share.

Miscellaneous:

• Map Projection
  www.anychart.com/products/anychart/docs/users-guide/map-projections.html
  An overview over map projection types

Other:

Geocoding

The other option to show geospatial data in Reports, is to just use plain geometry/geography data. Here are some resources that help in getting access to such and/or converting/”geocoding” data:

The Google Geocoding API

developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/

Rob Farley shows how you can geocode you address-data using bing-maps and powershell:

sqlblog.com/blogs/rob_farley/archive/2010/05/23/fetching-latitude-and-longitude-co-ordinates-for-addresses-using-powershell.aspx

A nice walk-through in geocoding using SSIS and Google Geocoding API by Jeffrey Verheul:

devjef.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/enriching-your-dataset-the-ssis-way/

Discussion on Mapping From City Name to Latitude and Longitude & Mapping From Latitude and Longitude to City with further links: stackoverflow.com/questions/23572/latitude-longitude-database

Further good articles concerning geographical data and SQL Server:

Creating your own SSRS map using Visio

blog.oraylis.de/2010/07/creating-your-own-ssrs-map-using-visio/

Using Visio and SSRS Map Reports for Store Layouts etc.

blog.oraylis.de/2010/06/using-visio-and-ssrs-map-reports-for-store-layouts-etc/

Using ESRI ShapeFiles with SSI

ssis-components.net/post/2010/04/11/ESRI-ShapeFiles-verarbeiten.aspx

For importing shape-files into SQL Server, see this blog-post at MSDN: blogs.msdn.com/seanboon/archive/2009/11/17/sql-server-2008-r2-map-tips-how-to-import-shapefiles-into-sql-server-and-aggregate-spatial-data.aspx

Achieve Spatial Data Support in SSIS:
www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/biz/spatial_data_support_ssis_p1.aspx

Bridge The Gap between Bing and Google Maps using SSIS
www.sql-server-performance.com/articles/biz/bing_google_maps_p1.aspx 

Heat Maps as Reports

prologika.com/CS/blogs/blog/archive/2009/08/30/heat-maps-as-reports.aspx

Stacia Misner shows in her blog, how to include your maps in the Map-Gallery for the Map-Builder-Wizard:

blog.datainspirations.com/2010/08/31/do-it-yourself-map-gallery-in-sql-server-2008-r2-reporting-services/

If you are working with Polygons & Multpolygons, you should know how to check and correct an instance of geometry data for validity with .STValid() and .MakeValid() ad Jeffrey Verheul is showing is his post here:

devjef.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/strange-behavior-of-spatial-data/

Have fun with Reporting Services 2008 R2

Andreas

Sarpedon Quality Lab