Code Information Service

The Code Information Service provides the definition of codes and abbreviations used by the Geonames Web Services. The Code Information Service also allows your application to validate the parameters and codes before sending the request to the Web Services (e.g., API and WFS).

The service consists of using the following URI:

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/codeinfoservice/services?request=Request&cod...

The proper values for the "Request" are shown in the table below:

 

Request Parameters Response Sample URL Sample
getCapabilities None A list of supported requests ...Capabilities
getFeatureTypeDescription code, language response=Mass of permanent snow and ice (glacier, icefield, ice cap / icecap) ...request=getFeature...
getFeatureTypeTerm code, language response=Other municipal/district area - major agglomeration ...request=getFeature...
getGenericCodeDescription code, language response=An unincorporated populated place. ...request=getGeneric...
getGenericTerm code, language response=Hamlet (2) ...request=getGeneric...
getStatusCodeDescription code, language response=Name officially approved by the CPCGN member. ...request=getStatus...
getStatusTerm code, language response=Official ...request=getStatus...
validateConciseCode code response=true ...request=validateCon...
validateGenericCode code response=false ...request=validateGen...
validateMap mapNumber response=true ...request=validateMap...
validateStatusCode code response=true ...request=validateSta...

More examples:

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/codeinfoservice/services?request=validateMap&mapNumber=011P16

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/codeinfoservice/services?request=getGenericTerm&code=111&language=en

The Language codes are "en" or "fr".

The codes for the Feature Types (also known as the Feature Categories or Concise Codes) are:

AIR, BAY, BCH, CAMP, CAPE, CAVE, CHAN, CITY, CLF, CRAT, DMUN, FALL, FOR, GEOG, GLAC, HAM, HYDR, IR, ISL, LAKE, MAR, MIL, MISC, MTN, MUN1, MUN2, PARK, PLN, PROV, RAIL, RAP, RECR, RES, RIV, RIVF, ROAD, SEA, SEAF, SEAU, SHL, SITE, SPRG, TERR, TOWN, UNP, VALL, VEGL, VILG.

The current official list is available in XML format at:

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/wfs/cubeserv.cgi?service=wfs&datastore=cgns&typename=cgns_codes &request=getFeature &filter=<Filter><PropertyIsEqualTo> <PropertyName>COLUMN_NAME</PropertyName> <Literal>CONCISE_CODE</Literal></PropertyIsEqualTo></Filter>

The code for the Generic Term is a value between 1 and 9999. There are more than 1200 generic terms. The current official list is available in XML format at:

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/wfs/cubeserv.cgi?service=wfs&datastore=cgns&typename=cgns_codes &request=getFeature &filter=<Filter><PropertyIsEqualTo> <PropertyName>COLUMN_NAME</PropertyName> <Literal>GENERIC_CODE</Literal></PropertyIsEqualTo></Filter>

The regrouping of Generic Terms by Feature Categories is available in XML format at:

http://geonames.nrcan.gc.ca/wfs/cubeserv.cgi?service=wfs&datastore=cgns&typename=generic_codes &request=getFeature

The Status codes are:

A1, A10, A11, A12, A13, A2, A21, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A99, B1, B10, B11, B12, B13, B14, B15, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B9, C1, C10, C11, C2, C3, C4, C5, C7, C9, D10, D35, D46, D47, D48, D59, D60, D61, D62, E1, E10, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6, E7, G1, M1, M2, P1, Q1, Q2, S1, S2, S3, T1, U1, U2, U3, W1, Y1.

The mapNumber is a National Topographic System (NTS) map number at the 1:50 000 scale. It is an alphanumeric value in the form of nnnAnn, e.g., 032B04.