How to Use Lat Long Codes to Find Any Location on Earth
Have you ever wondered how to pinpoint any location on Earth with just a few characters? Or how to share your exact location with someone without using a map app? Or how to find out the distance between two places without any hassle? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might be interested in learning about lat long codes.
Lat long codes are a way of encoding geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) into a short, alphanumeric string. They are also known as plus codes, Open Location Codes, or OLCs. They were developed by Google as an open source project to make location sharing easier and more accessible for everyone.
How do lat long codes work?
Lat long codes work by dividing the world into a grid of 20,000 by 20,000 squares, each with a size of about 14 by 14 kilometers. Each square is assigned a unique four-digit code, consisting of two letters and two numbers. For example, the code 8FVC represents a square that covers most of Paris, France.
To make the code more precise, you can add more digits to the end of the code, which will subdivide the square into smaller and smaller areas. For example, the code 8FVC9Q8Q+ represents a 3 by 3 meter area within the larger square of 8FVC. The more digits you add, the more accurate the code becomes.
The plus sign (+) at the end of the code is optional, but it helps to distinguish the code from other text. You can also add a city or country name after the code to make it more readable, such as 8FVC9Q8Q+ Paris.
How to use lat long codes?
You can use lat long codes to find, share, or navigate to any location on Earth, even if the location does not have a street address or a name. Here are some examples of how to use lat long codes:
- To find the lat long code of your current location, you can use the Plus Codes website or app, or the Google Maps app. Just tap on the blue dot that shows your location, and you will see the code displayed on the screen.
- To share your location with someone, you can simply send them the lat long code of your location, either as a text message, an email, or a link. They can then enter the code into the Plus Codes website or app, or the Google Maps app, and see your location on the map.
- To navigate to a location using a lat long code, you can enter the code into the Plus Codes website or app, or the Google Maps app, and get directions to the location. You can also use voice commands to say the code to your device, such as “Hey Google, navigate to 8FVC9Q8Q+”.
- To find out the distance between two locations using lat long codes, you can use the Plus Codes Distance Calculator website, which allows you to enter two codes and see the distance and bearing between them.
Why use lat long codes?
Lat long codes have many advantages over traditional methods of location sharing, such as addresses, landmarks, or coordinates. Some of the benefits of lat long codes are:
- They are short and easy to remember, write, and say.
- They are universal and work in any language, country, or region.
- They are accurate and can pinpoint any location on Earth, even in remote or rural areas.
- They are free and open source, and anyone can use them without any restrictions or fees.
- They are compatible with many platforms and devices, such as websites, apps, maps, GPS, and voice assistants.
Conclusion
Lat long codes are a simple and powerful way of finding, sharing, and navigating to any location on Earth. They are based on a simple grid system that divides the world into small squares, each with a unique code. They are easy to use, accurate, and universal, and they can help you explore the world in a new way. Try them out today and see for yourself! https://latlong.info
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any feedback or questions, please let me know. 😊
