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NGS Facts

The National Geodetic Survey uses terminology that may not be familiar to everyone. View the terms and definitions below to learn more.

    Science

  • What is geodesy?
  • What is a datum?
  • What is the geoid?
  • What is tectonic shift?
  • What is subsidence?
  • What is glacial isostatic adjustment?

    Technology

  • What is Lidar?
  • What is GPS?
  • What is the geoid?
  • What is a geographic information system?

    Get Involved

  • What is geocaching?
  • What does a geodesist do?

    Important NGS Terms

  • What is the National Spatial Reference System?
  • What is GRAV-D?
  • What is VDATUM?
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