To get you started we have provided a points file with over 2000 major World Places. Data is available for free download in either ArcView SHP or Mapinfo MIF format (Geographic projection).

Australia - Australian Geographic Place Names
Enter a name in the query form and you are then presented with
- Place Name
- State/ Territory
- Place Type
- Latitude/ Longitude in Degrees Minutes Seconds and Decimal Degrees
- 1:100,000 Map Sheet Code
- 1:250,000 Map Sheet Code
- map showing location
This query searches the Gazetteer of Australia which is a compilation of geographic names of Australia provided by members of the Committee for Geographic Names in Australia. The data are as supplied by AUSLIG in June 1996.

New Zealand - New Zealand Geographic Place-Names Database (LINZ)
The database of over 40,000 records includes features named on the various topographic map series and some historical names. It lists the name, a description and New Zealand Map Grid coordinate references.

All names in the database have been sourced from current and recent maps,specifically, Infomap 260 series and NZMS 1 maps, New Zealand Geographic Board - Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa archives and Lands and Survey historical maps and plans.

Ths database is maintained by the National Topo/Hydro Authority

We've managed to locate a database of placenames for you to use. The dataset provided here for downloading is a set of delimited text tables which have been derived from the New Zealand Geographic Place-Names database. Click Here to Download Place Names Database (1.2 MB)

Canada - Canada geographic names is the authoritative source of over 350,000 official and formerly official geographical names in Canada. The site is maintained by the Secretariat of the Canadian Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (CPCGN). This site is also the gateway to news, digital data, and publications regarding Canadian place names. Data can be ordered online and custom data sets can be obtained.

The database is accessible over the internet. Each record has some 24 attributes associated and is managed by an Oracle database Users of the website can also access Origins of Canada's Geographical Names and query the names database. Search results give the feature's coordinates, type, and an option to list other places within a specified radius.

Holiday Place Names
The GNIS is a research tool that was developed in coordination with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to assist the Board in establishing uniform name usage in the federal government, to provide an index of names on federal maps, to eliminate duplication, and to provide access to related data - such as elevation and coordinates - for research and application. The GNIS is a versatile system that has many uses, including emergency preparedness, local transportation planning, regional planning, site selection, product marketing, and genealogical research. Here are the most common "Holiday Place Names" according to GNIS.

Other Global Coverages

NIMA Selected Coutry Names Files
The files for the Countries contain names for all types of features. The files are ASCII text files and are tab delimited. Names files for some 15 countries have been added within the last 2 weeks. You'll find data here for Albania,Armenia Names,Azerbaijan,Bulgaria,Canada,El Salvador, India Names,Timor,Lebanon,Pakistan ,Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia ,Rwanda,Singapore ,Uganda

Carl Rosenberg's Global Gazetteer
This is a directory of 2880532 of the world's cities and towns, sorted by country and linked to a map for each town Place names are sorted by country, then alphabetically. Each record having a coordinate, elevation, map, and link weather and airport info. An impressive collection. You won't be able to download the database but its still a very hanfy search tool.

The Global Gazetteer
The core of the Global Gazetteer is the database of 3.5 million populated places around the world. As well as the basic information on the location of the place (latitude and longitude) the records are extensively enriched with additional data such as population, postcodes, telephone dialling codes, etc... The main data file contains records for (mainly) populated places (cities, towns villages, etc.), together with records for ports, airports, and some 400,000 other ‘points of interest’. Sample data is available from the website.

CIA World Fact Book
If you need some facts or a detailed desription of a sected country's geography, government, social or economic profile, this site has it all.



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