geoNames is one great global map index mashup webtool

Tuesday 10 October 2006 by Edward.

Have you ever used a map index at the back of an atlas, to locate a placename, a mountain, river or lake? Well, geoNames is probably the biggest map index. It is global. Click the name ‘London’ in the USA and you’ll get 2,535 places that contain ‘London’. I clicked London, Kentucky, and found out that it is a town of 7,844 people at 382m above sea level, located 37.129 N -84.083 W. Clicking links in the popup window sent me to interesting local information. Nearby is Cumberland Falls, one of two locations in the world that consistently have ‘moonbows’ (rainbows that show at night), the other being in Victoria Falls, Africa.

This is quite an intruiging tourist webtool and probably a useful bookmark.

Posted in Gadget/Idea/Webtool, Maps | No Comments »