About GeoNames
The GeoNames geographical database is available for download free of charge under a creative commons attribution license. It contains over eight million geographical names and consists of 6.5 million unique features whereof 2.2 million populated places and 1.8 million alternate names. All features are categorized into one out of nine feature classes and further subcategorized into one out of 645 feature codes. (more statistics ...).The data is accessible free of charge through a number of webservices and a daily database export. GeoNames is already serving up to over 11 million web service requests per day.
GeoNames is integrating geographical data such as names of places in various languages, elevation, population and others from various sources. All lat/long coordinates are in WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984). Users may manually edit, correct and add new names using a user friendly wiki interface.
GeoNames has Ambassadors in many countries who assist with their help and expertise. Meet the GeoNames Team.
Figure : GeoNames Feature Density Map
Support GeoNames
We accept donations :
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Press Coverage and Quotations
- Punto Informatico, Italia 30 May 2007
- TechCrunch 26 May 2007
- Linuxworld Dec 2006 put geonames.org on a list of "Ten Web 2.0 APIs you can really use", just behind googlmaps : The GeoNames database is one of the best available, based on multiple data sets, and it uses a liberal Creative Commons Attribution license for its data output. It's also quick and responsive.
- Sir Tim Berners-Lee : This is a tremendous set of data you have there.
- Nature 13. Feb 2006 : ... we hope that database providers will support initiatives, such as the GeoNames Forum.
- google.dirson.com 25. Feb 2006 : ... una de las mejores herramientas que hemos visto uniendo 'Google Maps' y Ajax.
- barrapunto.com 3. March 2006 : ... GeoNames los ha organizado en una base de datos brillante y abierta y, además corregible
Most important sources
- nga : National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (most names except US and CA)
- gnis : U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System (names in US).
Use the url http://www.geonames.org/maps/gnis-fid= to view a gnis record with its id. Example the link http://www.geonames.org/maps/gnis-fid=1702495 will display the gnis record with fid=1702495 on a map. - www.geobase.ca (names in CA)
- gtopo30 (elevation)
Features for online users
- search for names with our fulltextsearch (table based or displayed on map)
- browse capitals, highest mountains and largest cities on map
- browse names on map and show/hide feature classes and codes
- bookmark maps
- send maps via email
- export names as character separated values (csv) file or as png image
- edit names (wiki)
- add new names to the database (for registered users)
- geotagging of names (for registered users)
Wiki
In order to allow users to improve and correct data browser based update possibilities are available. The update rights of the anonymous (not logged in) user are restricted and records may be locked for update depending on the userlevel.(user manual)The most recent changes are available here.
GeoNames Users
- km42 Spiegel Online is using our search services.
- Tagzania is using our search services with back linking for error correction.
- slide.com
- Microsoft Popfly, Multimap
- Adidas and Nike
- ESRI, DigitalGlobe and Spot Image
- BBC, Norwegian Broadcasting Corp
- US Geological Survey
GeoNames Messageboard, Mailinglist and Blog
GeoNames Webservice Clients and Plugins
Client libraries developed by the community are available in a number of programming languages such as Java, Ruby, Python, Perl and even Lisp.GeoNames was founded by Marc Wick. Marc is a self-employed software engineer living in Switzerland. You can reach him at marc@geonames.org
