Importing shapefile (.shp) in Adobe Illustrator

Probably the easiest way to get your data into Adobe Illustrator is to go to the file menu and select Export Map.

From there, Save as Type: AI (*.ai)

Note the options in the Format Tab.

Alternatively, there is also a paid plugin called MAPublisher. It allows you to import the shapefiles directly into Illustrator. Effectively turning Illustrator into a basic GIS program. I haven't played around with MAPublisher for several years, but it looks like you can import MXDs directly into Illustrator.

Recently ESRI has announced ArcGIS Maps for Adobe Creative Cloud Extension, which allows Adobe Illustrator natively supports GIS file formats, for more details, visit [https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/maps-for-adobecc/mapping/how-to-make-animated-maps/][1]