Coordinate
One or more numeric values, such as latitude and longitude or easting and northing. Without a reference system, the same numbers may identify a different place or no meaningful place at all.
Practice
Coordinates
Combine coordinates, point details, terrain and target navigation.
Workflow
Suggested Flow
Use these steps to combine maps, data and tools for the task.
- Pick coordinateEnter a point, pick it from the map or choose it from imported data.
- Check contextReview point details, road/POI context, coordinate format and terrain.
- Use elevationShow point elevation or elevation context when terrain is active.
- ReuseUse as marker, target, bearing, QR code or export object.
Coordinate knowledge
Why there are so many coordinate systems
A sequence of numbers identifies a place only when notation, axes, units and spatial reference are known. CRS definitions and EPSG codes let apps, authorities, map services and GIS interpret the same values consistently.
Coordinate format
The notation used for a location, such as decimal degrees, DMS, UTM, MGRS or a Plus Code. A notation is not automatically a separate CRS.
Datum and reference frame
The geodetic model defines how the Earth is approximated and anchored in space. WGS 84, ETRS89 and NAD83 are examples.
Projection
A projection transfers the curved Earth to a plane. Every projection distributes distortion differently and is therefore suited to different areas and tasks.
CRS and EPSG
A coordinate reference system combines datum, coordinate system, axes, units, projection and area of use. An EPSG code is the stable identifier of such a definition, not the coordinate format itself.
Why countries and disciplines use different CRS
No single system can simultaneously minimize distortion everywhere, preserve national surveying practice, meet legal requirements, account for plate motion and serve global web maps.
- Global GNSS and exchange data often use WGS 84.
- National surveying and cadastral work use locally suitable reference frames and projections.
- Web maps usually use Web Mercator because worldwide tiles combine efficiently.
- One country may use several valid CRS for navigation, administration, statistics and historical data.
Input and display
Coordinate notations in MapTools
MapTools recognizes common notations automatically or uses the format selected by the user. Explicit EPSG input is intended for projected X/Y values.
| Notation | Spatial reference | Example | Area | Typical purpose | MapTools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DD – decimal degrees | WGS 84 · EPSG:4326 | 50.110900, 8.682100 | Worldwide | Readable geographic position and data exchange | Automatic recognition, input, display and conversion |
| DMS – degrees, minutes, seconds | WGS 84 · EPSG:4326 | 50° 06′ 39.24″ N 8° 40′ 55.56″ E | Worldwide | Readable geographic position and data exchange | Automatic recognition, input, display and conversion |
| DDM – degrees and decimal minutes | WGS 84 · EPSG:4326 | 50° 6.654′ N 8° 40.926′ E | Worldwide | Readable geographic position and data exchange | Automatic recognition, input, display and conversion |
| UTM / UPS | WGS 84 / UTM or UPS | 32U 691234 5328456 | UTM zones from 80° S to 84° N; UPS at the poles | Metric zone coordinates for local work | UTM and polar UPS can be entered and displayed |
| MGRS / UPS | MGRS over UTM / UPS | 32UPU 91234 28456 | UTM zones from 80° S to 84° N; UPS at the poles | Compact grid reference based on UTM/UPS | MGRS can be entered and displayed; polar values use UPS |
| Plus Code | Open Location Code · WGS 84 | 8FVC9G8F+6X | Worldwide | Location code without conventional degree notation | Input, display and conversion to a WGS 84 point |
| Maidenhead Locator | Maidenhead Locator · WGS 84 | JO22aa | Worldwide | Radio locator and approximate area reference | Input, display and conversion to a WGS 84 point |
| Web Mercator X/Y | EPSG:3857 | 1492135, 6892341 | Worldwide to approximately 85° north/south | Global web maps and map tiles | Projected X/Y input and display |
| EPSG-qualified X/Y | Selectable EPSG CRS | EPSG:25832 477608 5559751 | Area of use of the selected CRS | Unambiguous exchange of projected X/Y values | Enter “EPSG:code value value” or select “Other CRS” |
The number of decimal places is not a guarantee of accuracy. Source, measurement method, datum, transformation and axis order determine how reliable a point is.
Country and region
CRS families by area and purpose
The table summarizes the curated families in MapTools. Search by EPSG code, CRS name, country or region and narrow the list by use; individual UTM and Gauss–Krüger zones are grouped as code ranges.
The central CRS catalogue in MapTools covers numerous definitions. The table groups them into readable families instead of repeating every zone as a separate row.
| EPSG code or range | CRS family | Typical country / area | Why it is used there | MapTools status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPSG:4326 | WGS 84 | Worldwide | GNSS, global storage and exchange | Active |
EPSG:3857 | WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator | Worldwide to approximately 85° north/south | Global web maps and map tiles | Active |
EPSG:32601–32660 / 32701–32760 | WGS 84 / UTM North and South | UTM zones from 80° S to 84° N; UPS at the poles | Metric zone coordinates for local work | Active |
EPSG:5041 / 5042 | WGS 84 / UPS North and South | Northern and southern polar regions | Metric grid outside the UTM range | Active |
EPSG:4258 | ETRS89 | Europe and adjacent areas | European reference frame | Active |
EPSG:3035 | ETRS89-extended / LAEA Europe | Europe and adjacent areas | Europe-wide area statistics and analysis | Active |
EPSG:25828–25838 | ETRS89 / UTM | Europe and adjacent areas | Metric zone coordinates for local work | Active |
EPSG:2180 / 2176–2179 | ETRS89 / Poland CS92 and CS2000 | Poland | National GIS, administration and planning | Active |
EPSG:2154 | RGF93 v1 / Lambert-93 | France including defined territories | National GIS, administration and planning | Active |
EPSG:3763 | ETRS89 / Portugal TM06 | Portugal | National GIS, administration and planning | Active |
EPSG:3006 | SWEREF99 TM | Sweden | National GIS, administration and planning | Active |
EPSG:4314 / 31466–31469 / 5676–5679 | DHDN / 3-degree Gauss-Krüger | Germany, especially legacy and survey data | German legacy data with verified BeTA2007 grid transformation | Official transformation grid required |
EPSG:4269 / 26901–26923 / 5070 | NAD83, NAD83 / UTM and CONUS Albers | North America; 5070 for the contiguous United States | North American GIS and analysis | Active |
EPSG:7844–7845 / 7846–7859 / 9473 | GDA2020, MGA2020 and Australian Albers | Australia and defined external territories | Modern national reference frame with epoch | Active |
EPSG:4167 / 2193 | NZGD2000 / NZTM2000 | New Zealand | National GIS, administration and planning | Active |
EPSG:4490–4554 | CGCS2000 and Gauss-Krüger families | China | National surveying and GIS zones | Active |
EPSG:7683 / 20904–21032 / 21207–21363 | GSK-2011 and Gauss-Krüger families | Russian Federation across multiple zones | National surveying and GIS zones | Active |
EPSG:4674 / 31965–31985 | SIRGAS 2000 and SIRGAS / UTM | South America and adjacent SIRGAS areas | Regional reference frame and UTM zones | Active |
EPSG:4148 / 2046–2055 | Hartebeesthoek94 and South African Lo zones | South Africa | National survey grid with special axis directions | Limited |
EPSG:27700 / 28992 / 5514 / 3844 | British National Grid, RD New, S-JTSK, Stereo 70 | Great Britain, the Netherlands, Czechia/Slovakia and Romania; registered only | Requires a verified transformation grid that is not bundled | Planned / blocked |
A country alone does not determine a CRS. Use the EPSG code declared by the source file or service and respect its area of use. The app does not expose the whole EPSG Dataset: only a CRS offered by the picker or accepted from metadata counts as supported. Registered systems that lack a verified transformation grid remain deliberately blocked.
MapTools matrix
Which CRS does MapTools use where?
Coordinate input, file formats and map services follow different rules. This matrix shows when MapTools uses a CRS directly, transforms it or rejects it for safety.
| Area | Format / protocol | CRS rule in MapTools |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinate input, search and converter | DD, DMS, DDM, UTM/UPS, MGRS/UPS, Plus Codes, Maidenhead, EPSG:3857, EPSG-qualified X/Y | Common formats are recognized automatically. A projected CRS can be selected in the picker or entered as EPSG-qualified X/Y; the authority axis order is respected. |
| GeoJSON | GeoJSON · .geojson / .json | GeoJSON is interpreted as WGS 84 / CRS84. A legacy crs member is accepted only when it also identifies WGS 84; other declarations are rejected. |
| ArcGIS/Esri JSON | ArcGIS/Esri JSON · spatialReference · wkid/latestWkid | wkid or latestWkid is checked against the central transformable CRS registry. Known Esri Web Mercator aliases are normalized; limited WKT recognition is only a fallback. |
| GeoTIFF overlay or elevation data | GeoTIFF · GeoKeys · EPSG | GeoKeys must identify a registered, raster-enabled CRS consistently. MapTools locally reprojects compatible rasters to WGS 84; file structure, bands, compression and georeferencing must also be compatible. |
| WMS | WMS 1.1.1 / 1.3.0 · GetMap · GetFeatureInfo | Selected layers need a shared compatible CRS. EPSG:3857 is rendered directly; CRS:84 or another raster-enabled registry CRS is locally reprojected. Version-specific and CRS-specific axis rules are observed. |
| WMTS | WMTS 1.0.0 · TileMatrixSet | The service must provide a compatible TileMatrixSet. Web Mercator matrices are used directly; other approved raster CRS can be locally reprojected. |
| Custom XYZ and OSGeo TMS sources | XYZ / OSGeo TMS · HTTPS URL template | HTTPS tile templates use z/x/y or Quadkey. XYZ counts y from the top and OSGeo TMS from the bottom; Web Mercator is typical. |
| OSM, Google Maps and offline maps | OSM / Google Maps / Mapsforge .map / MBTiles / GeoPackage | OSM identifies data and providers, not a CRS or file format. Google Maps uses the official integration. Mapsforge .map, MBTiles and GeoPackage are offline formats or containers with their own metadata and usage rights. |
Unknown, contradictory or non-transformable CRS are not silently treated as WGS 84. This prevents data from looking plausible while being stored in the wrong place.
Glossary
Key terms for CRS and EPSG
These definitions distinguish coordinate notation from file metadata and map-service declarations.
- Coordinate
- A pair or set of numeric values that describes a position within a known reference system.
- Coordinate format
- A notation for a position, such as DD, DMS, UTM or MGRS. The format alone does not define a datum, projection or CRS.
- CRS
- Coordinate Reference System: the complete spatial definition comprising datum, coordinate system, axes, units, projection and area of use.
- EPSG code
- A stable identifier for an object in the IOGP-maintained EPSG Dataset. The code points to a definition; it is neither a coordinate nor a file format.
- Datum / reference frame
- The geodetic model and spatial anchoring of the Earth. Dynamic reference frames may also require an epoch.
- Map projection
- A mathematical mapping of the curved Earth onto a plane. It introduces different distance, angle or area distortions depending on its purpose.
- Axis order
- The authority-defined order and direction of axes, such as latitude/longitude or northing/easting. It can differ from familiar x/y display order.
Primary sources and standards
Further definitions are available from the responsible standards bodies and projects.
EPSG Dataset © IOGP. Country and area examples here are guidance; the full EPSG definition and area of use of the specific code remain authoritative.
Detailed guides
Coordinate converter and three favourites
The converter recognises a supported input and presents the same position in other notations or a selected CRS.
Convert and reuse
Check the detected format, signs, hemisphere and order, select DD, DMS, DDM, UTM, MGRS, Plus Code, Maidenhead or EPSG X/Y and copy or use the result as a map point, marker or target.
Prevent ambiguity
Choose up to three display favourites in Settings and always verify latitude/longitude versus longitude/latitude, X/Y, UTM zone, hemisphere, datum and decimal separator. Conversion does not improve accuracy.