Toponymic Guidelines for Map Editors and Other Editors, For International Use

Toponymic Guidelines for Map Editors and Other Editors – Finland

Resolution No. 4 of the fourth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names (Geneva, 1982) recommends that countries should be encouraged to publish and keep up-to-date toponymic guidelines for map editors and other editors, which may enable cartographers of other countries to solve problems related to cartographic toponymy and which may be of help to all users in interpreting maps.

Following the resolution, the toponymic guidelines of Finland include, among other items, the following:

• Legal status of place names in Finland (Finnish, Swedish, North Saami, Inari Saami and Skolt Saami);

• Alphabets of Finnish, Swedish and Saami languages;

• Spelling rules for Finnish place names;

• Aids to pronunciation of Finnish and Saami place names;

• Relationship between dialects and standard languages;

• Names authorities and measures taken in names standardization; Source material;

• Glossary of words necessary for the understanding of maps;

• Abbreviations used in official maps;

• Administrative divisions.

  
  

The toponymic guidelines are designed to meet the needs of the editors of not only cartographic works but also of other publications using geographical names.

The present text is an updated version of the one submitted to the 22nd Session of United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names in New York 20-29 April 2004 as Working Paper No. 49.

Toponymic guidelines (pdf) (1,3 MB)