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PREFACE 

 UNITED STATES BOARD ON GEOGRAPHIC NAMES 



The United States Board on Geographic Names (BGN) is the official United States body created in 1890 to provide 

 for uniform usage of geographic names throughout the Federal Government. Established in its present form by a Public 

 Law enacted in 1947, BGN operates through several committees to standardize names of geographic features in the United 

 States, foreign areas, Antarctica, and undersea areas. According to the law, the Board shares its responsibility with the 

 Secretary of the Interior. In the exercise of this responsibility, the Secretary approves names recommended by BGN, ap- 

 points members to certain committees, and ratifies principles and procedures. Members of the Board, representing various 

 Federal departments and agencies, serve for two-year terms. 



Essential to the Board's function of standardizing names is the promulgation of names information. Traditionally, 

 names of geographic features outside the United States have been published in a series of BGN gEizetteers, and the needs 

 of a wide range of users— both within the Federal Grovemment and elsewhere— have been well served by these publications. 

 Features of the gazetteer are explained in the introduction. 



The responsibility for producing and distributing the gazetteers has been assigned to the Defense Mapping Agency 

 as part of its overall mission of supporting foreign-area scientific studies for the Federal Grovemment. The production of 

 gazetteers is based on the work of linguists, geographers, and cartographers, who use a variety of source materials. 

 Wherever possible, gazetteer production is carried out with the cooperation of the concerned country. 



RICHARD R. RANDALL 

 Executive Secretary 

 United States Board 

 on Geographic Names 



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