geoposition

Geoposition, or geographic position, is the precise location of a point on the Earth’s surface. It is typically expressed as geographic coordinates such as latitude and longitude, but can also be given in other coordinate systems. The term is used across cartography, navigation, surveying, and geospatial science, and can refer to the position of objects ranging from people to vehicles to satellites.

Determining geoposition often relies on global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) such as GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou, which calculate location from satellite signals. In environments where GNSS signals are obstructed or unavailable, alternative methods such as Wi‑Fi positioning, cell tower triangulation, or IP-based geolocation may be used. Coordinates are commonly presented in degrees of latitude and longitude, but other systems exist, including Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and Earth-Centered, Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates. Position data usually includes an associated accuracy or uncertainty.

Applications of geopositioning span navigation, mapping and surveying, logistics and fleet management, emergency services, geotagging of media, and location-based services in software. In digital systems, geoposition data is often stored with timestamps and analyzed within geographic information systems (GIS). Privacy and security considerations are important, as location data can reveal sensitive information about individuals or assets; many jurisdictions regulate collection and use, and user consent or opt-out options are common.

Geopositioning relies on standardized reference frames, with WGS84 serving as a global standard for latitude and longitude in GPS, while regional frames such as NAD83 or ETRS89 are used elsewhere. See also geocoding, geotagging, GNSS, and coordinate reference systems.