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U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: GNIS

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Template:GNIS generates an external link to a Feature Detail Report from the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The link is displayed as "U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Name", where Name is either the Wikipedia article name ({{PAGENAME}}) or an optionally specified name.

Usage

The only required parameter is the GNIS Feature ID number (optionally, this parameter can be named id). The template then uses the Wikipedia article name as part of the anchor text.

{{GNIS|ID}}
{{GNIS|id=ID}}

If desired, a feature name other than the article name can be specified in a second unnamed parameter (optionally, this can be named name). This can be used if the article name contains disambiguation or when the GNIS feature name is different than the article name.

{{GNIS|ID|Name}}
{{GNIS|id=ID|name=Name}}

For GNIS features in Antarctica, add |type=antarid.

{{GNIS|ID|type=antarid}}
{{GNIS|id=ID|type=antarid}}

{{GNIS|ID|Name|type=antarid}}
{{GNIS|id=ID|name=Name|type=antarid}}

For GNIS types types of features retired in 2021, add |type=retired.

{{GNIS|ID|type=retired}}
{{GNIS|id=ID|type=retired}}

{{GNIS|ID|Name|type=retired}}
{{GNIS|id=ID|name=Name|type=retired}}

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:GNIS in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for GNIS

This template generates an external link to a Feature Detail Report from the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), published by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The link is displayed as 'U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Name', where Name is either the Wikipedia article name ({{PAGENAME}}) or an optionally specified name.

Template parameters[]
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
ID	`1` `id`	GNIS Feature ID, a number without leading zeros. Default	Number	required
Name	`2` `name`	GNIS Feature Name or other descriptive text. If not given it defaults to the Wikipedia article name Default {{PAGENAME}}	String	optional
Type	`type`	Use the value 'antarid' for features in Antarctica. Use the value 'retired' for feature types retired in 2021. Default	String	optional

Instructions

Go to the GNIS Feature Search page.
Search for the name, location, and/or class of the feature desired, e.g., to find a mountain called 'Mt. Foo', type 'mount foo' in the Feature Name box and select 'Summit' from the Feature Class list.
Copy the id number for the desired feature (above its name) and insert it into the {{GNIS|...}} template.
The latitude and longitude can also be copied and used in the {{coord}} template, inserting the '|' vertical bar between degrees, minutes, seconds, and direction, e.g.: 441613N 0711812W → {{coord|44|16|13|N|071|18|12|W|region:US}}

Examples

URL: https://edits.nationalmap.gov/apps/gaz-domestic/public/search/names/871352

Usage: {{GNIS | 871352 | Mount Washington }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Washington
Usage: {{GNIS |id= 871352 |name= Mount Washington }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Mount Washington

URL: https://web.archive.org/web/2020/https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:5:::NO::P5_ANTAR_ID:2828

Usage: {{GNIS | 2828 | Clarke Glacier |type= antarid }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Clarke Glacier
Usage: {{GNIS |id= 2828 |name= Clarke Glacier |type= antarid }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Clarke Glacier

URL: https://gnis-ld.org/lod/gnis/feature/235365

Usage: {{GNIS | 235365 | Stanford University |type= retired }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stanford University
Usage: {{GNIS |id= 235365 |name= Stanford University |type= retired }}
- Result: U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Stanford University

Retired data

In October 2021, USGS announced that several classes of data had been removed from their searchable database:

The following feature classes will be archived: Airport, Bridge, Building, Cemetery, Church, Dam, Forest, Harbor, Hospital, Mine, Oilfield, Park, Post Office, Reserve, School, Tower, Trail, Tunnel, and Well.

If you encounter articles with GNIS links that return the error "The ID does not exist", they were probably for records in one of these classes. In this case, specify |type=retired, and a link will be generated to a KnowWhereGraph linked open data listing for the GNIS feature that reflects any ad hoc edits made to the feature since retirement.