GeoNames Forum

At http://download.geonames.org/export/dump/ I see admin1CodesASCII.txt and admin2Codes.txt, but how am I to interpret "admin3 code" and "admin4 code" from allCountries.zip? For example, the second line from allCountries.txt has:

admin1=B3
admin2=09
admin3=091
admin4=09024

I can see from admin1CodesASCII.txt that FR.B3=Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrenees
and from admin2Codes.txt that FR.B3.09= Département de l'Ariège Departement de l'Ariege

But how am I to interpret admin3=091 and admin4=09024?

Hi Michael:

The codes that you are seeing originate from the INSEE codes (official codes allocated by the French government for all purposes except for post codes) and apply to Aston (geoname id 6446854).

admin1 is the region, although INSEE uses the code '73' rather than 'B3'
admin2 is the department
admin3 is the department code + the arrondissement code
admin4 is the municipality code from INSEE

For some reason, INSEE do not include the arrondissement code in their municipality code. However, at the risk of further confusion (if you look at the INSEE data), you will also find that there is a canton code of '03'. Cantons belong between the arrondissement and the municipality.

Everything is changing in any case. A number of the regions are being merged, there is a new admin entity known as the 'Metropolis' (for larger cities) and there are a number of changes about to happen at the arrondissement level. Additionally, there is a long-term policy which removes much of the power from the departements in favour of the regions.

I am currently taking the approach that only the departements and the communes (municipalities) need to be taken into account, and I will review the situation when these policy changes have been implemented.

Robert

michaelmalak wrote:

At http://download.geonames.org/export/dump/ I see admin1CodesASCII.txt and admin2Codes.txt, but how am I to interpret "admin3 code" and "admin4 code" from allCountries.zip? For example, the second line from allCountries.txt has:

admin1=B3
admin2=09
admin3=091
admin4=09024

I can see from admin1CodesASCII.txt that FR.B3=Midi-Pyrénées Midi-Pyrenees
and from admin2Codes.txt that FR.B3.09= Département de l'Ariège Departement de l'Ariege

But how am I to interpret admin3=091 and admin4=09024?

I agree. There is no file to indicate what admin3 and admin4 codes mean. Have had any reply from geonames regarding this?