A coordinate reference system (CRS), also known as a spatial reference system, defines how geospatial imagery is mapped and represented on Earth. They provide a consistent way to map and analyze geospatial imagery, ensuring accuracy and compatibility.
| Geographic coordinate system (GCS) | Projected coordinate system (PCS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Coordinate type | Latitude and longitude coordinates | Cartesian x and y coordinates in meters |
| Imagery representation | Curved surface | Flat surface |
| Use cases | Global data and GPS | Local mapping and spatial analysis |
Geographic-WGS84 is a GCS that uses the WGS84 horizontal datum. It corresponds to EPSG:4326.
Projected-WGS84 is a PCS that uses the Mercator projection formula to convert WGS84 latitude and longitude coordinates into x and y coordinates. It’s widely used in web mapping applications like Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Bing, ArcGIS, and ESRI. It corresponds to EPSG:3857.
UTM-WGS84 is a PCS that projects Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) zones onto the WGS84 horizontal datum. UTM is a cylindrical map projection that divides the Earth into 60 zones, each spanning 6 degrees longitude.
Each UTM zone will have a corresponding CRS for the northern and southern hemispheres.
Polar regions use universal polar stereographic (UPS) projections, as UTM projections become distorted above 84°N and below 80°S. Each polar region has a corresponding UPS-WGS84 CRS.
For regions in the Northern Hemisphere between the equator and 84°N, EPSG codes begin with the prefix 326, followed by a two-digit number indicating the respective UTM zone. To identify the correct EPSG code, first find the UTM zone.
| UTM zone | Coordinate reference system | EPSG code |
|---|---|---|
| 1N | WGS84 / UTM zone 1N | EPSG:32601 |
| 2N | WGS84 / UTM zone 2N | EPSG:32602 |
| 3N | WGS84 / UTM zone 3N | EPSG:32603 |
| 4N | WGS84 / UTM zone 4N | EPSG:32604 |
| 5N | WGS84 / UTM zone 5N | EPSG:32605 |
| 6N | WGS84 / UTM zone 6N | EPSG:32606 |
| 7N | WGS84 / UTM zone 7N | EPSG:32607 |
| 8N | WGS84 / UTM zone 8N | EPSG:32608 |
| 9N | WGS84 / UTM zone 9N | EPSG:32609 |
| 10N | WGS84 / UTM zone 10N | EPSG:32610 |
| 11N | WGS84 / UTM zone 11N | EPSG:32611 |
| 12N | WGS84 / UTM zone 12N | EPSG:32612 |
| 13N | WGS84 / UTM zone 13N | EPSG:32613 |
| 14N | WGS84 / UTM zone 14N | EPSG:32614 |
| 15N | WGS84 / UTM zone 15N | EPSG:32615 |
| 16N | WGS84 / UTM zone 16N | EPSG:32616 |
| 17N | WGS84 / UTM zone 17N | EPSG:32617 |
| 18N | WGS84 / UTM zone 18N | EPSG:32618 |
| 19N | WGS84 / UTM zone 19N | EPSG:32619 |
| 20N | WGS84 / UTM zone 20N | EPSG:32620 |
| 21N | WGS84 / UTM zone 21N | EPSG:32621 |
| 22N | WGS84 / UTM zone 22N | EPSG:32622 |
| 23N | WGS84 / UTM zone 23N | EPSG:32623 |
| 24N | WGS84 / UTM zone 24N | EPSG:32624 |
| 25N | WGS84 / UTM zone 25N | EPSG:32625 |
| 26N | WGS84 / UTM zone 26N | EPSG:32626 |
| 27N | WGS84 / UTM zone 27N | EPSG:32627 |
| 28N | WGS84 / UTM zone 28N | EPSG:32628 |
| 29N | WGS84 / UTM zone 29N | EPSG:32629 |
| 30N | WGS84 / UTM zone 30N | EPSG:32630 |
| 31N | WGS84 / UTM zone 31N | EPSG:32631 |
| 32N | WGS84 / UTM zone 32N | EPSG:32632 |
| 33N | WGS84 / UTM zone 33N | EPSG:32633 |
| 34N | WGS84 / UTM zone 34N | EPSG:32634 |
| 35N | WGS84 / UTM zone 35N | EPSG:32635 |
| 36N | WGS84 / UTM zone 36N | EPSG:32636 |
| 37N | WGS84 / UTM zone 37N | EPSG:32637 |
| 38N | WGS84 / UTM zone 38N | EPSG:32638 |
| 39N | WGS84 / UTM zone 39N | EPSG:32639 |
| 40N | WGS84 / UTM zone 40N | EPSG:32640 |
| 41N | WGS84 / UTM zone 41N | EPSG:32641 |
| 42N | WGS84 / UTM zone 42N | EPSG:32642 |
| 43N | WGS84 / UTM zone 43N | EPSG:32643 |
| 44N | WGS84 / UTM zone 44N | EPSG:32644 |
| 45N | WGS84 / UTM zone 45N | EPSG:32645 |
| 46N | WGS84 / UTM zone 46N | EPSG:32646 |
| 47N | WGS84 / UTM zone 47N | EPSG:32647 |
| 48N | WGS84 / UTM zone 48N | EPSG:32648 |
| 49N | WGS84 / UTM zone 49N | EPSG:32649 |
| 50N | WGS84 / UTM zone 50N | EPSG:32650 |
| 51N | WGS84 / UTM zone 51N | EPSG:32651 |
| 52N | WGS84 / UTM zone 52N | EPSG:32652 |
| 53N | WGS84 / UTM zone 53N | EPSG:32653 |
| 54N | WGS84 / UTM zone 54N | EPSG:32654 |
| 55N | WGS84 / UTM zone 55N | EPSG:32655 |
| 56N | WGS84 / UTM zone 56N | EPSG:32656 |
| 57N | WGS84 / UTM zone 57N | EPSG:32657 |
| 58N | WGS84 / UTM zone 58N | EPSG:32658 |
| 59N | WGS84 / UTM zone 59N | EPSG:32659 |
| 60N | WGS84 / UTM zone 60N | EPSG:32660 |
| North Pole | WGS84 / UPS North (N,E) | EPSG:32661 |
For regions in the Southern Hemisphere between the equator and 80°S, EPSG codes begin with the prefix 327, followed by a two-digit number indicating the respective UTM zone. To identify the correct EPSG code, first find the UTM zone.
| UTM zone | Coordinate reference system | EPSG code |
|---|---|---|
| 1S | WGS84 / UTM zone 1S | EPSG:32701 |
| 2S | WGS84 / UTM zone 2S | EPSG:32702 |
| 3S | WGS84 / UTM zone 3S | EPSG:32703 |
| 4S | WGS84 / UTM zone 4S | EPSG:32704 |
| 5S | WGS84 / UTM zone 5S | EPSG:32705 |
| 6S | WGS84 / UTM zone 6S | EPSG:32706 |
| 7S | WGS84 / UTM zone 7S | EPSG:32707 |
| 8S | WGS84 / UTM zone 8S | EPSG:32708 |
| 9S | WGS84 / UTM zone 9S | EPSG:32709 |
| 10S | WGS84 / UTM zone 10S | EPSG:32710 |
| 11S | WGS84 / UTM zone 11S | EPSG:32711 |
| 12S | WGS84 / UTM zone 12S | EPSG:32712 |
| 13S | WGS84 / UTM zone 13S | EPSG:32713 |
| 14S | WGS84 / UTM zone 14S | EPSG:32714 |
| 15S | WGS84 / UTM zone 15S | EPSG:32715 |
| 16S | WGS84 / UTM zone 16S | EPSG:32716 |
| 17S | WGS84 / UTM zone 17S | EPSG:32717 |
| 18S | WGS84 / UTM zone 18S | EPSG:32718 |
| 19S | WGS84 / UTM zone 19S | EPSG:32719 |
| 20S | WGS84 / UTM zone 20S | EPSG:32720 |
| 21S | WGS84 / UTM zone 21S | EPSG:32721 |
| 22S | WGS84 / UTM zone 22S | EPSG:32722 |
| 23S | WGS84 / UTM zone 23S | EPSG:32723 |
| 24S | WGS84 / UTM zone 24S | EPSG:32724 |
| 25S | WGS84 / UTM zone 25S | EPSG:32725 |
| 26S | WGS84 / UTM zone 26S | EPSG:32726 |
| 27S | WGS84 / UTM zone 27S | EPSG:32727 |
| 28S | WGS84 / UTM zone 28S | EPSG:32728 |
| 29S | WGS84 / UTM zone 29S | EPSG:32729 |
| 30S | WGS84 / UTM zone 30S | EPSG:32730 |
| 31S | WGS84 / UTM zone 31S | EPSG:32731 |
| 32S | WGS84 / UTM zone 32S | EPSG:32732 |
| 33S | WGS84 / UTM zone 33S | EPSG:32733 |
| 34S | WGS84 / UTM zone 34S | EPSG:32734 |
| 35S | WGS84 / UTM zone 35S | EPSG:32735 |
| 36S | WGS84 / UTM zone 36S | EPSG:32736 |
| 37S | WGS84 / UTM zone 37S | EPSG:32737 |
| 38S | WGS84 / UTM zone 38S | EPSG:32738 |
| 39S | WGS84 / UTM zone 39S | EPSG:32739 |
| 40S | WGS84 / UTM zone 40S | EPSG:32740 |
| 41S | WGS84 / UTM zone 41S | EPSG:32741 |
| 42S | WGS84 / UTM zone 42S | EPSG:32742 |
| 43S | WGS84 / UTM zone 43S | EPSG:32743 |
| 44S | WGS84 / UTM zone 44S | EPSG:32744 |
| 45S | WGS84 / UTM zone 45S | EPSG:32745 |
| 46S | WGS84 / UTM zone 46S | EPSG:32746 |
| 47S | WGS84 / UTM zone 47S | EPSG:32747 |
| 48S | WGS84 / UTM zone 48S | EPSG:32748 |
| 49S | WGS84 / UTM zone 49S | EPSG:32749 |
| 50S | WGS84 / UTM zone 50S | EPSG:32750 |
| 51S | WGS84 / UTM zone 51S | EPSG:32751 |
| 52S | WGS84 / UTM zone 52S | EPSG:32752 |
| 53S | WGS84 / UTM zone 53S | EPSG:32753 |
| 54S | WGS84 / UTM zone 54S | EPSG:32754 |
| 55S | WGS84 / UTM zone 55S | EPSG:32755 |
| 56S | WGS84 / UTM zone 56S | EPSG:32756 |
| 57S | WGS84 / UTM zone 57S | EPSG:32757 |
| 58S | WGS84 / UTM zone 58S | EPSG:32758 |
| 59S | WGS84 / UTM zone 59S | EPSG:32759 |
| 60S | WGS84 / UTM zone 60S | EPSG:32760 |
| South Pole | WGS84 / UPS South (N,E) | EPSG:32761 |
UTM-NAD83 is a PCS that projects UTM zones onto the NAD83 horizontal datum. Each UTM zone will have a corresponding CRS for the NAD83 scheme.
The respective EPSG codes begin with the prefix 269, followed by a two-digit number indicating the UTM zone. To identify the correct EPSG code, find the UTM zone first.
These EPSG codes are specific to the continental United States.
| UTM Zone | Coordinate reference system | EPSG Code |
|---|---|---|
| 1N | NAD83 / UTM zone 1N | EPSG:26901 |
| 2N | NAD83 / UTM zone 2N | EPSG:26902 |
| 3N | NAD83 / UTM zone 3N | EPSG:26903 |
| 4N | NAD83 / UTM zone 4N | EPSG:26904 |
| 5N | NAD83 / UTM zone 5N | EPSG:26905 |
| 6N | NAD83 / UTM zone 6N | EPSG:26906 |
| 7N | NAD83 / UTM zone 7N | EPSG:26907 |
| 8N | NAD83 / UTM zone 8N | EPSG:26908 |
| 9N | NAD83 / UTM zone 9N | EPSG:26909 |
| 10N | NAD83 / UTM zone 10N | EPSG:26910 |
| 11N | NAD83 / UTM zone 11N | EPSG:26911 |
| 12N | NAD83 / UTM zone 12N | EPSG:26912 |
| 13N | NAD83 / UTM zone 13N | EPSG:26913 |
| 14N | NAD83 / UTM zone 14N | EPSG:26914 |
| 15N | NAD83 / UTM zone 15N | EPSG:26915 |
| 16N | NAD83 / UTM zone 16N | EPSG:26916 |
| 17N | NAD83 / UTM zone 17N | EPSG:26917 |
| 18N | NAD83 / UTM zone 18N | EPSG:26918 |
| 19N | NAD83 / UTM zone 19N | EPSG:26919 |
| 20N | NAD83 / UTM zone 20N | EPSG:26920 |
| 21N | NAD83 / UTM zone 21N | EPSG:26921 |
| 22N | NAD83 / UTM zone 22N | EPSG:26922 |
| 23N | NAD83 / UTM zone 23N | EPSG:26923 |
The British National Grid (BNG) is a PCS that uses the Transverse Mercator projection to convert geographic coordinates into x and y coordinates measured in meters. It is based on OSGB36 datum, and specifically designed for mapping in Great Britain. It corresponds to EPSG:27700.
Compound coordinate systems combine a horizontal coordinate system with a vertical coordinate system. They are used to represent horizontal positions and vertical elevations in elevation models. Height is always provided in meters, independent of the horizontal coordinate system.
- Horizontal coordinate system: Geographic-WGS84
- Vertical datum: EGM2008
It corresponds to EPSG:9518.
- Horizontal coordinate system: Geographic-WGS84
- Vertical datum: EGM96
It corresponds to EPSG:9707.
- Horizontal coordinate system: Projected-WGS84
- Vertical datum: EGM2008
It corresponds to EPSG:6893.
Imagery can be converted to another CRS upon request.