Gazetteer

A gazetteer is a geographic directory or dictionary that lists place names and provides essential information about them. Typical entries include the place name, geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude), feature type (such as city, river, mountain), administrative or political affiliations, and variant spellings or historical names. Many gazetteers also offer notes on the place’s etymology, a brief description, and links to maps or related features.

Gazetteers can be general, covering the world, or specialized for a country, region, language, or theme (for example urban places, topographic features, or historical sites). They may be printed reference works or digital databases. Digital gazetteers are commonly integrated with geographic information systems (GIS) and are used for geocoding, place-name search, and spatial analysis. They may be updated regularly to reflect new names, name changes, or disputed spellings.

Notable examples include national and international authorities such as the United States Geological Survey’s Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), the GEOnet Names Server (GNS) for international names, and various national toponymic databases. The term gazetteer originates from the practice of compiling lists of place names in gazettes, and gazetteers have played a key role in navigation, cartography, and administration throughout history.

Challenges in gazetteer work include transliteration across scripts, political changes that alter toponyms, and uneven coverage, especially for remote regions. Users should verify current spellings and coordinates against authoritative sources.