UNGEGN

The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) is a United Nations body dedicated to promoting the standardization and consistent use of geographical names worldwide. Its work aims to improve accuracy in maps, official documents, and geospatial data, thereby facilitating international communication and reducing ambiguity across languages and cultures.

UNGEGN’s activities cover the standardization of spelling, diacritics, and the romanization of non-Latin scripts, as well as the representation of names in multiple languages. The group also coordinates the compilation and maintenance of gazetteers and other reference materials, and it develops guidelines and best practices for toponymy policy, naming processes, and official name lists. Through its outputs, UNGEGN supports national naming authorities and international mapping and data communities.

Organization and structure: UNGEGN operates as a subsidiary body of the United Nations and includes representatives from UN member states. It is typically organized into regional divisions and thematic or working groups that address topics such as standardization methods, romanization systems, and digital naming. A UNGEGN secretariat provides administrative support, and the group conducts sessions and meetings at intervals, often in conjunction with UN events or regional conferences.

Outputs and impact: The group publishes reports, recommendations, and reference materials, and maintains links to national gazetteers and toponymic authorities. Its work informs UN cartography, international coordination, disaster response, and a wide range of geographic information systems and mapping applications.