Download and Convert Gazetteer Files

Download gazetteer files, and place them in c:\MapData\Gazetteer in a subdirectory for the type of gazetteer:

• NGA-- http://geonames.nga.mil/gns/html/, with the actual files at http://geonames.nga.mil/gns/html/namefiles.html   1-2 files per country, but no coverage for US.  You now get a consolidated file for the country, and separate files for a half dozen categories.
• USGS--USGS NAMES server: text files for each state, in Tab Delimited Format, with "features" ("deci" in older files)  in the file name.  The current BGN format is now the only supported format.  The single huge zipped file is too big for efficient use.  Just get individual states. 
• Antarctica: http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/gaz/scar/ (registration required; may have duplicate entries) and http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/download_data.htm (fewer entries)
• http://www.geonames.org/export/ has gazetteers available at http://download.geonames.org/export/dump/; you are responsible for converting them to a DBF file, which might not be easy.  It is also very slow
• Underwater features: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/gazetteer/  shapefiles with points, lines, and polygons.  Alternate
• Geonames: http://www.geonames.org/

Data manipulation form from main program toolbar.

• Uncompress files; USGS and NGA both use Windows ZIP compression.  
• Import menu to Create DBF files.  The resulting files will have slightly different formats because USGS and NGA have different fields in their gazetteer files, but will operate identically.  The import now uses a table with the rules for CSV import.  which will correctly deal with translating the fields into acceptable names.  After the import, you will have a vector map with the DBF file open.

Using Gazetteer files

Convert gazetteers to shapefiles (for export to other software):

•   Open Database:
• Create point shapefile on the  Report button on Table display window.

last revision 3/9/2022