Geographical Names Database of Austria

Geographical Names Database of Austria

General information

In 1975 the “Geographische Namenbuch Österreichs” (“Gazetteer of Austria”) was published by the Austrian Academy of Sciences. It was the first volume in the world to fully implement the recommendations of the United Nations on the production of name books. After the work was out of print, a group of experts in toponymy set themselves the goal of a new edition.

The “Geographische Namendatenbank Österreich” (“Geographical Names Database of Austria”) is a complete revision of the gazetteer that meets today’s requirements. It is a reference work for all those in science, economy and administration, who need information about location, spelling, pronunciation, administrative affiliation or the category of a geographical object. Its extent amounts to approx. 7500 names. The basis for this is the overview map 1:500 000 of the Federal Office of Metrology and Surveying, supplemented by numerous other names of important geographical objects.

Authors

Austrian Names Board within the Austrian Cartographic Commission of the Austrian Geographical Society and “In connection with the Austrian Academy of Sciences”,
Working group “Gazetteer of Austria”, consisting of

  • Dr. Otto Back, Hon.-Prof.
  • Hofrat Dr. Helmut Desoye
  • Dr. Gerhard L. Fasching
  • Prof. Dr. Isolde Hausner
  • Hofrat Prof. h.c. Univ.-Doz. Dr. Peter Jordan
  • Prof. Dr. Ingrid Kretschmer
  • Hofrat Dipl.-Ing. Helmut Meckel
  • Prof. Dr. Heinz-Dieter Pohl
  • Mag. Dr. Roman Stani-Fertl

Processed in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations with the participation of the regional Austrian Names Boards.
Supported by the Jubilee Fund of the Austrian National Bank.
Project management CD-ROM production: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, Silvia Lingner.
Programming of the CD-ROM: Peter Holl.
Cover design: Elke Salzer.
Copy deadline: 1.1.2000.

Example

>> Search mask (pdf-File)

What information can I expect from the Geographical Name Database?

  • standardized spelling of a geographical name, consideration of the new spelling
  • grammatical information on gender, number, etc.
  • pronunciation information in international phonetic transcription
  • object category (mountain, village, pass, etc.)
  • brief description of the location in order to make a localization possible
  • geographical coordinates (latitude and longitude) and altitude indication
  • administrative membership of the NUTS 3 units of the European Union
  • reference to the sheets of the Austrian Map 1:50,000 [as in 2000]
  • recommendation for use at certain map scales (main scales 1: 500 000, 1:750 000, 1:1 million, 1:1.5 million, 1:2 million, 1:5 million).

Order

The “Geographische Namendatenbank Österreich / Geographical Names Database of Austria” can be obtained from the ÖAW publishing house.

>> Order form