About the Google Earth Geographic Web Layer

This document answers common questions about the Geographic Web Layer of Google Earth. Learn more about layers in the Google Earth user guide.

I just read an article on Wikipedia. It has geographic coordinates in the text, but I do not see it in the Google Earth Geographic Web layer. Why not?

There are several possible reasons. The article may have been altered after Google processed the last batch of Wikipedia articles. Additionally, it could be that the coordinates are not posted in a way that Google Earth supports (see the next question).

How do I get my Wikipedia article to show up in the Google Earth Geographic Web layer?

You must geotag the article. The simplest way to do this is to use the {{coord}} template. This template can be used anywhere within the article text. For example, if the article for San Francisco, California contained this markup anywhere within the article text:

{{coord|37|46|N|122|26|W|display=title}}

Although the display parameter is not required in this template, you must use it with the title keyword if you want it to appear in the Geographic Web layer. For example, the following would not add an article to the Geographic Web layer:

{{coord|38.954|-95.252|display=inline}}

However, the following would cause an article to appear in the Geographic Web layer.

{{coord|38.954|-95.252|display=inline,title}}

Using display=title indicates that the coordinates explicitly refer to the location of the title article, rather than another geographic location that may appear in the article text.

Google recognizes this location and includes the article the next time Google publishes the layer.

What about other Wikipedia templates?

At the present time, Google recognizes other Wikipedia templates. However, Wikipedia has deprecated these older templates. You should use {{coord}} instead. Learn more.

How do I find the coordinates for a location?

You can move the cursor over any location in the Google Earth 3D viewer and see the coordinates for the location in the status bar at the bottom of the 3D viewer. Learn how to change the latitude/longitude display. You can also create a placemark for a location and view the coordinates for the location in the New Placemark dialog box.

Why is a Wikipedia article showing up incorrect location?

Coordinates may be incorrect in the original Wikipedia article. If this is not the case, it may have been only recently changed to use the correct coordinates, but after Google published the most recent Wikipedia layer. Click on the History tab of the Wikipedia article to examine how the article has changed over time. Recent changes to the coordinate markup indicate such a change.

When were the pictures chosen for the Panoramio layer?
Google published much of the Panoramio database as of late December 2006, with occasional updates thereafter.

How were the placemarks chosen for the Best of Google Earth Community layer?
For this version of the Google Earth Geographic Web, the Best of Google Earth Community layer placemarks were chosen programmatically using a variety of metrics including popularity, uniqueness, and richness of content.

How often will the Google Earth Geographic Web layer be updated?

Every one to three months.