Coordinate reference systems

Learn more about coordinate reference systems.


Overview

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.

Coordinate system types

Geographic coordinate system (GCS)Projected coordinate system (PCS)
Coordinate typeUses latitude and longitude coordinatesUses x and y Cartesian coordinates in meters
Surface representationRepresents imagery on a curved surfaceRepresents imagery on a flat surface
Use casesGlobal data and GPSLocal mapping and spatial analysis

Horizontal coordinate systems

Geographic-WGS84

Geographic-WGS84 is a GCS that uses the WGS84 horizontal datum. It corresponds to EPSG:4326.

Projected-WGS84

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

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 the Northern Hemisphere

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.

WGS84 EPSG codes for the corresponding UTM zones in the Northern Hemisphere
UTM zoneCoordinate reference systemEPSG code
1NWGS84 / UTM zone 1NEPSG:32601
2NWGS84 / UTM zone 2NEPSG:32602
3NWGS84 / UTM zone 3NEPSG:32603
4NWGS84 / UTM zone 4NEPSG:32604
5NWGS84 / UTM zone 5NEPSG:32605
6NWGS84 / UTM zone 6NEPSG:32606
7NWGS84 / UTM zone 7NEPSG:32607
8NWGS84 / UTM zone 8NEPSG:32608
9NWGS84 / UTM zone 9NEPSG:32609
10NWGS84 / UTM zone 10NEPSG:32610
11NWGS84 / UTM zone 11NEPSG:32611
12NWGS84 / UTM zone 12NEPSG:32612
13NWGS84 / UTM zone 13NEPSG:32613
14NWGS84 / UTM zone 14NEPSG:32614
15NWGS84 / UTM zone 15NEPSG:32615
16NWGS84 / UTM zone 16NEPSG:32616
17NWGS84 / UTM zone 17NEPSG:32617
18NWGS84 / UTM zone 18NEPSG:32618
19NWGS84 / UTM zone 19NEPSG:32619
20NWGS84 / UTM zone 20NEPSG:32620
21NWGS84 / UTM zone 21NEPSG:32621
22NWGS84 / UTM zone 22NEPSG:32622
23NWGS84 / UTM zone 23NEPSG:32623
24NWGS84 / UTM zone 24NEPSG:32624
25NWGS84 / UTM zone 25NEPSG:32625
26NWGS84 / UTM zone 26NEPSG:32626
27NWGS84 / UTM zone 27NEPSG:32627
28NWGS84 / UTM zone 28NEPSG:32628
29NWGS84 / UTM zone 29NEPSG:32629
30NWGS84 / UTM zone 30NEPSG:32630
31NWGS84 / UTM zone 31NEPSG:32631
32NWGS84 / UTM zone 32NEPSG:32632
33NWGS84 / UTM zone 33NEPSG:32633
34NWGS84 / UTM zone 34NEPSG:32634
35NWGS84 / UTM zone 35NEPSG:32635
36NWGS84 / UTM zone 36NEPSG:32636
37NWGS84 / UTM zone 37NEPSG:32637
38NWGS84 / UTM zone 38NEPSG:32638
39NWGS84 / UTM zone 39NEPSG:32639
40NWGS84 / UTM zone 40NEPSG:32640
41NWGS84 / UTM zone 41NEPSG:32641
42NWGS84 / UTM zone 42NEPSG:32642
43NWGS84 / UTM zone 43NEPSG:32643
44NWGS84 / UTM zone 44NEPSG:32644
45NWGS84 / UTM zone 45NEPSG:32645
46NWGS84 / UTM zone 46NEPSG:32646
47NWGS84 / UTM zone 47NEPSG:32647
48NWGS84 / UTM zone 48NEPSG:32648
49NWGS84 / UTM zone 49NEPSG:32649
50NWGS84 / UTM zone 50NEPSG:32650
51NWGS84 / UTM zone 51NEPSG:32651
52NWGS84 / UTM zone 52NEPSG:32652
53NWGS84 / UTM zone 53NEPSG:32653
54NWGS84 / UTM zone 54NEPSG:32654
55NWGS84 / UTM zone 55NEPSG:32655
56NWGS84 / UTM zone 56NEPSG:32656
57NWGS84 / UTM zone 57NEPSG:32657
58NWGS84 / UTM zone 58NEPSG:32658
59NWGS84 / UTM zone 59NEPSG:32659
60NWGS84 / UTM zone 60NEPSG:32660
North PoleWGS84 / UPS North (N,E)EPSG:32661

For the Southern Hemisphere

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.

WGS84 EPSG codes for corresponding UTM zones in the Southern Hemisphere
UTM zoneCoordinate reference systemEPSG code
1SWGS84 / UTM zone 1SEPSG:32701
2SWGS84 / UTM zone 2SEPSG:32702
3SWGS84 / UTM zone 3SEPSG:32703
4SWGS84 / UTM zone 4SEPSG:32704
5SWGS84 / UTM zone 5SEPSG:32705
6SWGS84 / UTM zone 6SEPSG:32706
7SWGS84 / UTM zone 7SEPSG:32707
8SWGS84 / UTM zone 8SEPSG:32708
9SWGS84 / UTM zone 9SEPSG:32709
10SWGS84 / UTM zone 10SEPSG:32710
11SWGS84 / UTM zone 11SEPSG:32711
12SWGS84 / UTM zone 12SEPSG:32712
13SWGS84 / UTM zone 13SEPSG:32713
14SWGS84 / UTM zone 14SEPSG:32714
15SWGS84 / UTM zone 15SEPSG:32715
16SWGS84 / UTM zone 16SEPSG:32716
17SWGS84 / UTM zone 17SEPSG:32717
18SWGS84 / UTM zone 18SEPSG:32718
19SWGS84 / UTM zone 19SEPSG:32719
20SWGS84 / UTM zone 20SEPSG:32720
21SWGS84 / UTM zone 21SEPSG:32721
22SWGS84 / UTM zone 22SEPSG:32722
23SWGS84 / UTM zone 23SEPSG:32723
24SWGS84 / UTM zone 24SEPSG:32724
25SWGS84 / UTM zone 25SEPSG:32725
26SWGS84 / UTM zone 26SEPSG:32726
27SWGS84 / UTM zone 27SEPSG:32727
28SWGS84 / UTM zone 28SEPSG:32728
29SWGS84 / UTM zone 29SEPSG:32729
30SWGS84 / UTM zone 30SEPSG:32730
31SWGS84 / UTM zone 31SEPSG:32731
32SWGS84 / UTM zone 32SEPSG:32732
33SWGS84 / UTM zone 33SEPSG:32733
34SWGS84 / UTM zone 34SEPSG:32734
35SWGS84 / UTM zone 35SEPSG:32735
36SWGS84 / UTM zone 36SEPSG:32736
37SWGS84 / UTM zone 37SEPSG:32737
38SWGS84 / UTM zone 38SEPSG:32738
39SWGS84 / UTM zone 39SEPSG:32739
40SWGS84 / UTM zone 40SEPSG:32740
41SWGS84 / UTM zone 41SEPSG:32741
42SWGS84 / UTM zone 42SEPSG:32742
43SWGS84 / UTM zone 43SEPSG:32743
44SWGS84 / UTM zone 44SEPSG:32744
45SWGS84 / UTM zone 45SEPSG:32745
46SWGS84 / UTM zone 46SEPSG:32746
47SWGS84 / UTM zone 47SEPSG:32747
48SWGS84 / UTM zone 48SEPSG:32748
49SWGS84 / UTM zone 49SEPSG:32749
50SWGS84 / UTM zone 50SEPSG:32750
51SWGS84 / UTM zone 51SEPSG:32751
52SWGS84 / UTM zone 52SEPSG:32752
53SWGS84 / UTM zone 53SEPSG:32753
54SWGS84 / UTM zone 54SEPSG:32754
55SWGS84 / UTM zone 55SEPSG:32755
56SWGS84 / UTM zone 56SEPSG:32756
57SWGS84 / UTM zone 57SEPSG:32757
58SWGS84 / UTM zone 58SEPSG:32758
59SWGS84 / UTM zone 59SEPSG:32759
60SWGS84 / UTM zone 60SEPSG:32760
South PoleWGS84 / UPS South (N,E)EPSG:32761

UTM-NAD83

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.

NAD83 EPSG codes for the corresponding UTM zones
UTM ZoneCoordinate reference systemEPSG Code
1NNAD83 / UTM zone 1NEPSG:26901
2NNAD83 / UTM zone 2NEPSG:26902
3NNAD83 / UTM zone 3NEPSG:26903
4NNAD83 / UTM zone 4NEPSG:26904
5NNAD83 / UTM zone 5NEPSG:26905
6NNAD83 / UTM zone 6NEPSG:26906
7NNAD83 / UTM zone 7NEPSG:26907
8NNAD83 / UTM zone 8NEPSG:26908
9NNAD83 / UTM zone 9NEPSG:26909
10NNAD83 / UTM zone 10NEPSG:26910
11NNAD83 / UTM zone 11NEPSG:26911
12NNAD83 / UTM zone 12NEPSG:26912
13NNAD83 / UTM zone 13NEPSG:26913
14NNAD83 / UTM zone 14NEPSG:26914
15NNAD83 / UTM zone 15NEPSG:26915
16NNAD83 / UTM zone 16NEPSG:26916
17NNAD83 / UTM zone 17NEPSG:26917
18NNAD83 / UTM zone 18NEPSG:26918
19NNAD83 / UTM zone 19NEPSG:26919
20NNAD83 / UTM zone 20NEPSG:26920
21NNAD83 / UTM zone 21NEPSG:26921
22NNAD83 / UTM zone 22NEPSG:26922
23NNAD83 / UTM zone 23NEPSG:26923

Compound coordinate systems

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.

Geographic-WGS84 with EGM2008 height

It corresponds to EPSG:9518.

Geographic-WGS84 with EGM96 height

It corresponds to EPSG:9707.

Projected-WGS84 with EGM2008 height

It corresponds to EPSG:6893.

UTM-WGS84 with EGM2008 height

UTM-NAD83 with NAVD88 height

Troubleshooting

I can’t find the CRS I need

Imagery can be converted to another CRS upon request.