AVHRR data were collected by the second antenna at the Center and provided daily global coverage.
What administrative areas of the United States are included in Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)?
50 States
District of Columbia
Dependent Areas: American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands (includes Baker Island (Pacific), Howland Island (Pacific), Jarvis Island (Pacific), Johnston Island (Pacific), Kingman Reef (Pacific), Midway Islands (Pacific), Palmyra Atoll (Pacific), Navassa Island (Caribbean), Wake Island (Pacific)
For geographic names outside the United States go to Geographic Names Server (GNS) that is hosted by the National-Geospatial Intelligence Agency. The GNS is the official repository of standard spellings of all foreign geographic names, sanctioned by the United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN).
Learn More: United States - The World Factbook
Related
What is the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), which maintains cooperative working relationships with State Names Authorities to standardize geographic names for Federal use. GNIS contains information about the official names for places, features, and areas in the 50 states, the...
Why are there no entries for caves in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) does include caves but the entries are not publicly available. In response to the 1988 National Cave Management Resources Act, Department of the Interior Regulation 43 (CFR Subtitle A, Part 37) forbids the release of information regarding the location of all caves on Federal lands. Currently, GNIS does not distinguish between features on Federal versus...
Why are there no ZIP Codes in the Geographic Names Information System database?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) contains named communities, both incorporated and unincorporated, but these communities do not necessarily correspond to ZIP Code areas. ZIP Codes are developed and maintained by the U.S. Postal Service solely for the purpose of delivering mail. It is not within the mission, purpose, or resources of the GNIS to maintain ZIP Code information. You can...
Does Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) include manmade and administrative features, such as churches, cemeteries, parks, schools, shopping centers, trails?
No. GNIS does not include roads, highways, administrative, or cultural features, except for canals, channels, reservoirs, communities, civil divisions, and military features. In 2021 the following geographic features, referred to as “administrative” (cultural or man-made), were removed from GNIS: airport, bridge, building, cemetery, church, dam, forest, harbor, hospital, mine, oilfield, park, post...
Does the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) decide what is derogatory or offensive?
The BGN’s Principles, Policies, and Procedures document includes a Policy on Derogatory and Offensive Names. As of 2023, three words are declared derogatory in all occurrences: In 1963, the BGN, at the request of the Secretary of the Interior, mandated that the pejorative form of the word “Negro” be eliminated from all federal maps and publications. The word was replaced with “Negro” for all...
1984-1986 - AVHRR Mosaic of United States
AVHRR data were collected by the second antenna at the Center and provided daily global coverage.
Related
What is the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN), which maintains cooperative working relationships with State Names Authorities to standardize geographic names for Federal use. GNIS contains information about the official names for places, features, and areas in the 50 states, the...
Why are there no entries for caves in the Geographic Names Information System database?
Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) does include caves but the entries are not publicly available. In response to the 1988 National Cave Management Resources Act, Department of the Interior Regulation 43 (CFR Subtitle A, Part 37) forbids the release of information regarding the location of all caves on Federal lands. Currently, GNIS does not distinguish between features on Federal versus...
Why are there no ZIP Codes in the Geographic Names Information System database?
The Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) contains named communities, both incorporated and unincorporated, but these communities do not necessarily correspond to ZIP Code areas. ZIP Codes are developed and maintained by the U.S. Postal Service solely for the purpose of delivering mail. It is not within the mission, purpose, or resources of the GNIS to maintain ZIP Code information. You can...
Does Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) include manmade and administrative features, such as churches, cemeteries, parks, schools, shopping centers, trails?
No. GNIS does not include roads, highways, administrative, or cultural features, except for canals, channels, reservoirs, communities, civil divisions, and military features. In 2021 the following geographic features, referred to as “administrative” (cultural or man-made), were removed from GNIS: airport, bridge, building, cemetery, church, dam, forest, harbor, hospital, mine, oilfield, park, post...
Does the Board on Geographic Names (BGN) decide what is derogatory or offensive?
The BGN’s Principles, Policies, and Procedures document includes a Policy on Derogatory and Offensive Names. As of 2023, three words are declared derogatory in all occurrences: In 1963, the BGN, at the request of the Secretary of the Interior, mandated that the pejorative form of the word “Negro” be eliminated from all federal maps and publications. The word was replaced with “Negro” for all...
1984-1986 - AVHRR Mosaic of United States
AVHRR data were collected by the second antenna at the Center and provided daily global coverage.
AVHRR data were collected by the second antenna at the Center and provided daily global coverage.
Updated Date: April 4, 2025