Description: Places that have an alternative name are "multi pointed" in this data layer i.e. alternative names for a single place are represented in multiple records, all with the same point location. This allows a single table to be performed when locating a place by name.
The Type field indicates if the name is a local or alternative name. Alternative names include long/short forms, transliteration variants, synonymous names and exonyms (foreign versions of place names). The ID field of primary (local) and secondary (alternative) name records are equal. Primary and secondary names can be found together in the Alternative Places layer. If mapping software has insufficient label control to handle this layer, a mixture of place name languages may be displayed. In this case, use the Lang field to select the required language(s) and build a sub-set of the Places layer.
Global Discovery is the fusion Global Insight Plus and Global Profile. The combination of these leading products forms the most detailed seamless world map data set available. Global Insight Plus provides vector reference mapping at 1:1,000,000 scale for the entire world. Coverage is provided by a manageable set of layers including places (over 817,000 locations including accented characters and alternative names including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch & Portuguese), 93,000+ population estimates, up-to-date political maps at two scales (1:1M and 1:3M), coastlines, international borders, some first level administrative borders, time zones (with Daylight Saving Time information), roads, railways, drainage features (rivers and lakes), airports (including IATA code) and ports (including UN/LOCODE). Global Profile provides five minute raster data provides small scale mapping for abstract views and features coloured imagery for both land elevations and sea bathymetry. Thirty second raster provides higher resolution mapping for land areas. Vector mapping includes land and sea floor contours plus a mountain gazetteer.
Global Discovery consists of the following intermatching data layers;
POLITIC - 1:1M shaded political map [regions]
POLITIC3 - 1:3M shaded political overview map [regions]
POL3_ALT - 1:3M shaded political overview map without Admin1 regions [regions]
CNTRYREF - Cross reference of local/English country names in long/short form plus foreign names. [points]
TIMEZONE - Time Zones, with political map context and including Daylight Saving (DST) information [regions]
COAST - Coastline [polylines]
BORDERS - International borders [polylines]
ADMIN1 - First level administrative borders (limited countries) [polylines]
ADMIN2 - Second level administrative borders for USA (counties) [polylines]
ADMIN2_R - Second level administrative regions for USA (counties) [regions]
PLACES - Over 817,000 places, with accented characters (ANSI / Unicode Latin 1 font) [points]
PLACES_A - Alternative place names [points]
PLCA_xxx - Alternative place names specific to English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese. Japanese supported by alternative layers in JPN sub-folder. [points]
SPRAWLS - Urban sprawls [regions]
AIRPORTS - World airports (including IATA and ICAO code)
PORTS - World Ports (including UN/LOCODE)
ROADS - Road network
RAILWAYS - Rail network
DRAIN_x - Drainage features (rivers / lakes)
JPN / CNTRY_JPN - World country names in Japanese (Kanji / Katakana)
JPN / ADM1_JPN - Japan's prefecture names in Japanese (Kanji)
JPN / PLCA_JPN - Capitals and major cities in Japanese (Kanji / Katakana)
LOTOPO - Low resolution (5min) topology (land elevation & sea bathymetry. [raster]
HITOPO - High resolution (30sec) raster topology (land elevation only) [raster]
LANDCONT_L - Land contours (1000ft intervals) [polylines]
SEADEPTH - Sea depth vector contours [polylines]
MOUNTAIN - Mountain point gazetteer [points]
A number of useful backgrounds, grids and lines are also supplied. The FLAGS folder contains GIF format images of national flags at two resolutions.