Federal Geographic Data Committee Standards

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Standards are a set of guidelines designed to ensure that geographic data—like maps and location information—produced and shared across government agencies are consistent, accurate, and compatible. These standards help different organizations use and combine geographic data effectively, promoting better decision-making, collaboration, and resource management. Essentially, they provide common rules and formats so that everyone’s geographic information speaks the same "language," making it easier to share, analyze, and compare data across different platforms and projects.