There are a few ways to create a shapefile for a city: Create a shapefile from scratch: You can create a shapefile from scratch using a GIS software program, such as ArcGIS Pro or QGIS. To do this, you will need to digitize the boundaries of the city on a map. Convert another type of file to a shapefile: You can convert other types of files, such as KML or GeoJSON files, to shapefiles using a GIS software program.