Geographic Headings and Subdivisions:
A Summary of Contrasting Structures

For more comprehensive and detailed information on geographic qualifiers and geographic subdivision, consult the Library of Congress Subject Cataloging Manual:  Subject Headings, sections H810-H830.

See also "Introduction to Geographic Headings."

Terms as used here            [not so much by LC]

Specific place:

Town, district, geographic feature such as a mountain, or other type of place contained within a larger jurisdiction.

Larger jurisdiction:

Jurisdiction in which specific place is located, used as a qualifier and/or in indirect subdivision.

Usually a country. Exceptions:

• State, province, or republic:
  • As qualifier (H810, sec. 1a.(1)) and in subdivision (H830, sec. 5):
    • Canada (province, in abbreviated form)
    • United States (state, in abbreviated form)

  • As qualifier only (H810) — still use in subdivision through the country :
    • Australia (state, in abbreviated form)
    • Malaysia (state)

• Constituent country:  as qualifier and in subdivision (H810, sec. 1a.(1) , H830 sec. 5):

  Great Britain or United Kingdom (use England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales)

Examples are interspersed below.

Geographic headings:  Basic pattern

The form of the larger jurisdiction is usually the same as its heading form.  Places in the following take abbreviated qualifiers:

• Australia
• Canada
• New Zealand (N.Z.)
• Puerto Rico (P.R.)
• United States
• Virgin Islands (British or U.S.:  V.I.)

For a complete list of the abbreviations, see the end of SCM:H810.

E.g.:   651  0  $a Paris (France)

651  0  $a New Orleans (La.)

651  0  $a Atitlán, Lake (Guatemala)

651  0  $a Great Barrier Reef (Qld.)      [Qld. = state of Queensland, Australia]

For more complex situations, including places located in multiple jurisdictions, see “Special situations” below.

Geographic subdivision:  Basic pattern

Under a topical subject heading or a subject heading string, a geographic name is used in indirect subdivision.  In other words, the subject heading string is subdivided indirectly through the larger jurisdiction to the specific place.  The form of the larger jurisdiction is the same as its heading form.

When -- as in most cases -- the first geographic $z subdivision is in the qualifier of the 651 heading of the specific place, it does not need to be repeated as a qualifer for the specific place (H830, sec. 6).

E.g.:   650  0  $a Cathedrals $z France $z Paris.

650  0  $a Education $z Louisiana $z New Orleans.

600 10  $a Egiltrop, Norman $x Travel $z Guatemala $z Atitlán, Lake.

but

650  0  $a Coral reef ecology $z Australia $z Great Barrier Reef (Qld.)

        [ “Qld.” needs to be retained here as a qualifier, because it has not already been used in the preceding $z subfield.]

Geographic authority records

• 151 field:  The 151 field shows the authorized heading form, including qualifier.

• 781 field:  LC has implemented the use of the 781 field in geographic authority records, to spell out the pattern applied to a place when it is used as a geographic subdivision.  Not all geographic authority records yet include 781 fields.

E.g.    151      $a Halkyn Mountain (Wales)

781  0  $z Wales $z Halkyn Mountain

151      $a Alps

781  0  $z Alps

151      $a Aphrodito (Extinct city)

781  0  $z Egypt $z Aphrodito (Extinct city)

        [see below, “Extinct cities”]

151      $a Ganges River Valley (India and Bangladesh)

781  0  $z Ganges River Valley (India and Bangladesh)

Special situations

Conflicts		City sections, etc.		Islands
"Large places"		Extinct cities		Places on islands
Specific places in multiple jurisdictions		Archaeological sites		Change or name change of larger jurisdiction
Different larger jurisdictions used as qualifier and in subdivision		Historical jurisdictions		Qualifier, as a heading, itself qualified
Exceptional cities, etc.		Rivers		Topical heading including name of larger jurisdiction

1. Conflicts (H810, sec. 2b.):  More than one place with same name in same larger jurisdiction:
   • Same type of place:  Use name of the intermediate-level jurisdiction (county, department, etc.) that will distinguish them.  Put it in the qualifier before the larger jurisdiction, separated by a comma, not by using double parentheses.

     E.g.    151      $a San Fernando (La Union, Philippines)

     151      $a San Fernando (Pampanga, Philippines)

   • Different types of places:  Use term for type of place.  Put in qualifier after the larger jurisdiction, separated by a space-colon-space.  Note:  Towns and cities represent a “default” type, so their headings usually do not get a type-of-place qualifier.

     E.g.    151      $a Arequipa (Peru : Dept.)

             [151      $a Arequipa (Peru) also exists, as a city]

     151      $a Cold Lake (Alta. : Lake)

             [151      $a Cold Lake (Alta.) also exists, as a city, in Alberta, Canada]

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2. “Large places”:  Applies to:

   Countries

   U.S. states, Canadian provinces, etc., used as qualifying jurisdictions

   Regions larger than countries (including continents), or larger than other qualifying jurisdictions such as U.S. states

   Regions of countries with names consisting of the country’s name plus a geographic orientation

   • Do not qualify (H810).  Rare exceptions need qualifiers to avoid conflict or ambiguity.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Paraguay

     651  0  $a Michigan

     651  0  $a South Asia

     651  0  $a Southern States

     651  0  $a England, Northern

     but

     651  0  $a West (U.S.)

             ["West" by itself might be ambiguous; one of the few times that you will see “U.S.” used as a geographic qualifier]

   • Subdivision:  Use “large place” directly as first $z subdivision (H830, 5a-c).

     E.g.    650  0  $a Agriculture $z South Asia.

     650  0  $a American poetry $z Southern States.

     650  0  $a Walls, Roman $z England, Northern.

     650  0  $a Landscape painting, American $z West (U.S.)

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3. Specific places located in multiple jurisdictions
   • Qualifying:  2 jurisdictions (H810, sec. 3):  Use both places in qualifier.  Generally put them in alphabetical order, unless the place is primarily in one larger jurisdiction.  Separate by “and.”
     Exception:  Rivers.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)

     651  0  $a Bessarabia (Moldova and Ukraine)

     651  0  $a Thar Desert (India and Pakistan)

     651  0  $a Savoy (France and Italy)        [as a historic region]

   • Qualifying:  More than 2 jurisdictions (H810, sec. 4):  Do not qualify unless qualifier is needed to resolve conflict or ambiguity.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Himalaya Mountains

     651  0  $a Congo River

     but

     651  0  $a Green River (Wyo.-Utah)

             [there are other rivers with the name Green River]

   • Subdivision:  2 or more jurisdictions (H830, sec. 5c.):  Use directly as first $z subdivision; include qualifiers when the heading is qualified, since they do not appear in any preceding $z subfield.

     E.g.    650  0  $a Fisheries $z Chesapeake Bay (Md. and Va.)

     650  0  $a Renaissance $z Savoy (France and Italy)

     650  0  $a Paleontology $z Himalaya Mountains.

     650  0  $a Flooding $z Congo River.

     650  0  $a Tadpoles $z Green River (Wyo.-Utah)

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4. Places in countries with different larger jurisdictions used for qualifier and in subdivision

   For the following countries (until further notice):

   • Australia
   • Malaysia

   Although a place in these countries is qualified by state, it is used as an indirect subdivision under country.  It needs to retain the qualifier even as a subdivision, since the qualifier would not repeat the first subdivision.

   E.g.    651  0  $a Great Barrier Reef (Qld.) $x Economic conditions.

   650  0  $a Coral reef ecology $z Australia $z Great Barrier Reef (Qld.)

           [ “Qld.” needs to be retained here as a qualifier, because it has not already been used in the preceding $z subfield.]

   651  0  $a Kuching (Sarawak) $x History.

   650  0  $a Labor market $z Malaysia $z Kuching (Sarawak)

           [the state “Sarawak” needs to be retained here as a qualifier, because it has not already been used in the preceding $z subfield]

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5. Exceptional cities, etc.
   • Washington (D.C.) (H1050):  Subdivide to $z Washington (D.C.) directly.

     E.g.    650  0  $a Parks $z Washington (D.C.)

                 [not

           650  0  $a Parks $z District of Columbia $z Washington.]

   • Jerusalem (H980):  Do not qualify.  Subdivide to $z Jerusalem directly (regardless of time period covered).

     E.g.    651  0  $a Jerusalem $x Antiquities.

     650  0  $a Database marketing $z Jerusalem.

   • Vatican City (H1045):  Considered a country (i.e., an independent jurisdiction).   Do not qualify.  Subdivide to $z Vatican City directly.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Vatican City $x History.

     650  0  $a Museums $z Vatican City.

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6. City sections and other man-made entities within cities (H720):       Neighborhood, street, etc.:
   • Qualifier:  Heading is qualified by the city and the qualifier for the city.  The two qualifiers are separated by commas, not parentheses within parentheses.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Montmartre (Paris, France)

     651  0  $a Saint Charles Avenue (New Orleans, La.)

   • Subdivision:  Not allowed to subdivide all the way to neighborhood, etc.; stop with city.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Vieux Carré (New Orleans, La.)

     650  0  $a Restaurants $z Louisiana $z New Orleans.

                 [not

           650  0  $a Restaurants $z Louisiana $z New Orleans $z Vieux Carré.

                 not

           650  0  $a Restaurants $z Louisiana $z Vieux Carré (New Orleans)]

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7. Extinct cities (H715):
   • Qualify by “(Extinct city).”  An additional qualifier is only needed to resolve a conflict.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Ephesus (Extinct city)

     651  0  $a Cnidus (Turkey : Extinct city)

                 [there is another extinct city named Cnidus or Knidos, in Cyprus]

     (For basic information on establishing headings for extinct cities, see also "Introduction to Geographic Headings:  Extinct cities.")

   • Subdivision:  Indirect subdivision through the modern jurisdiction in which the remains of the city are located.

     E.g.    650  0  Architecture, Domestic $z Turkey $z Ephesus (Extinct city)

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8. Archaeological sites (H1225, sec. 3):
   • Qualify by the modern jurisdiction in which the remains are located.

     E.g.    651  0  $a Machu Picchu Site (Peru)

     651  0  $a Star Carr Site (England)

     651  0  $a Saraçhane Site (Istanbul, Turkey)

     (For basic information on establishing headings for archaeological sites, see also "Introduction to Geographic Headings:  Archaeological sites.")

   • Subdivision:  Currently, most topical headings can be subdivided indirectly to an archaeological site.

     Exceptions:  The following headings should still not be subdivided by the name of a site, just by the name of the larger geographic area:

     •   650 0 Antiquities, Prehistoric
     •   650 0 Excavations (Archaeology)

     E.g.    For a book on Star Carr Site:

     651  0  $a Star Carr Site (England)

     650  0  $a Mesolithic period $z England $z Star Carr Site.

     650  0  $a Excavations (Archaeology) $z England $z North Yorkshire.

                 [not

           650  0  $a Excavations (Archaeology) $z England $z Star Carr Site.]

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9. Historical jurisdictions (LCRI 24.6, H830 sec. 3):

   (These duchies, kingdoms, ancient provinces, etc., do not have a modern equivalent geographic area.  See also "Introduction to Geographic Headings:  Name changes," section on historical jurisdictions.)

   • Qualifying:  If a conflict exists with a current or other historical jurisdiction with the same name, qualify by an appropriate term for the type of jurisdiction:

     E.g.    651  0  $a Leon (Kingdom)

                 [the headings “León (Spain)” and “León (Spain : Province)” also exist, each covering

                 a different geographical extent from the historical kingdom]

           but

     E.g.    651  0  $a Numidia

                       [ancient kingdom, incorporated by Roman Empire; no modern place name of “Numidia” exists]

     651  0  $a Dacia

                       [province of the Roman Empire]

   • Subdivision:  Use in subdivision through the name of the current larger jurisdiction within which the geographic area of the historical jurisdiction is now located, if it is located entirely within a single jurisdiction.

     E.g.    650  0  $a Taxation $z Spain $z Leon (Kingdom)

     650  0  $a Olive oil presses $z Algeria $z Numidia.

           but

     650  0  $a Romans $z Dacia.

                 [The Roman province of Dacia covered what is now

                 more than one Eastern European country.]

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10. Rivers (H800, sec. 2):    Including similar flowing bodies of water, e.g., streams and creeks
    • 1 jurisdiction:  Treat according to standard pattern:  use jurisdiction as qualifier and first $z subdivision.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Po River (Italy)

      650  0  $a Motorboats $z Italy $z Po River.

    If multiple jurisdictions, the qualifiers reflect the flow of the river:  source first.
    • 2 jurisdictions:  (<jurisdiction at source> and <jurisdiction at mouth>)

      Use directly as first $z subdivision.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Wye, River (Wales and England)

      650  0  $a Coracles $z Wye, River (Wales and England)

    • More than 2 jurisdictions:  Only qualify to resolve a conflict:

      (<jurisdiction at source>-<jurisdiction at mouth>)

      Use directly as first $z subdivision.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Mississippi River

                              [flows through more than 2 states; only one Mississippi River, so no qualifier]

      650  0  $a Steamboats $z Mississippi River.

      651  0  $a Green River (Wyo.-Utah)

                  [flows through more than 2 states; are other rivers with name Green River,

                  so qualified, from source to mouth]

      650  0  $a Kayaks $z Green River (Wyo.-Utah)

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11. Islands (H807, 1 b.-c., 2 a.-b.):

    Island or island group:

    • Part of a larger jurisdiction:  Generally qualify by and subdivide through that jurisdiction.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Sicily (Italy)

      650  0  $a Temples, Greek $z Italy $z Sicily.

      Exceptions:

      If the island or island group is far from its controlling jurisdiction:  Do not qualify heading for island group.  Either qualify heading for island by name of island group (if it is part of a group) or do not qualify it.

      Correspondingly, use directly as first $z subdivision if unqualified; if qualified by island group, use as indirect subdivision through name of that island group.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Madeira Islands

                  [politically part of Portugal, but geographically far from Portugal]

      650  0  $a Beachcombing $z Madeira Islands.

      651  0  $a Madeira (Madeira Islands)

      650  0  $a Historic buildings $z Madeira Islands $z Madeira.

      651  0   $a Greenland

                  [politically under Denmark, but geographically far from Denmark]

      650  0  $a Climatic changes $z Greenland.

      651  0   $a Martinique

                  [politically an overseas département of France, but geographically far from France]

      Please note:  Islands of the Caribbean (H807 2c.):  Based on the above pattern, qualify and use in indirect subdivision only when part of a multi-island country or country equivalent (e.g., Bahamas, British Virgin Islands).

      E.g.    651  0  $a Paradise Island (Bahamas)

      650  0  $a Names, Geographical $z Bahamas $z Paradise Island.

      651  0  $a Virgin Gorda Island (V.I.)         [“V.I.” is standard abbreviation for Virgin Islands]

      650  0  $a Beaches $z British Virgin Islands $z Virgin Gorda Island.

      Don’t use in subdivision through the larger groupings West Indies, Leeward Islands (West Indies), or Windward Islands (West Indies).

      E.g.    650  0  $a Volcanoes $z Saint Lucia.

                  [not

            650  0  $a Volcanoes $z Windward Islands (West Indies) $z Saint Lucia.]

    • Itself a larger jurisdiction:  Do not qualify; use directly as first $z subdivision.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Madagascar.

      651  0  $a Nature conservation $z Madagascar.

    • Includes more than one country:  Do not qualify; use directly as first $z subdivision.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Hispaniola

                    [includes both Haiti and the Dominican Republic]

      650  0  $a Indians of the West Indies $z Hispaniola.

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12. Places on islands (H807):
    • Island is itself a larger jurisdiction or is unqualified:  Use island name as qualifier.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Antananarivo (Madagascar)

      651  0  $a Yunque Mountain (P.R.)        [“P.R.” is standard abbreviation for Puerto Rico]

      651  0  $a Iluissat (Greenland)

    • Island is itself qualified by a larger jurisdiction:  Just use the larger jurisdiction as a qualifier, without the island name, unless a conflict needs to be resolved.

      E.g.    651  0  $a Rethymnon (Greece)

                  [not:

            651  0  $a Rethymnon (Crete, Greece)

                  not:

            651  0  $a Rethymnon (Crete)]

      E.g.    651  0  $a Kailua Bay (Oahu, Hawaii)

            and

      651  0  $a Kailua Bay (Hawaii Island, Hawaii)

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13. Change or name change of larger jurisdiction (H810 1b., H830, 2-3):  Use latest jurisdiction or form of jurisdiction’s name in qualifier and/or in indirect subdivision, no matter what time period is covered in the work.

    E.g.    651  0  $a Alsace (France)

                [even though Alsace was for a time part of Germany, it is currently in France]

    650  0  $a Vineyards $z France $z Alsace $x History.

    651  0  $a Kinshasa (Congo)

                [now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, no longer Leopoldville (Belgian Congo) or Kinshasa (Zaire)]

    650  0  $a Transportation $z Congo (Democratic Republic) $z Kinshasa.

    651  0  $a Minsk (Belarus)

                [no longer Minsk (Byelorussian S.S.R.)]

    650  0  $a Jews $z Belarus $z Minsk $x History $y 20th century.

    This combination may sometimes look odd, since the modern jurisdictional place name may not have existed at the time of the specific place.

    E.g.    650  0  $a Architecture, Domestic $z Turkey $z Ephesus (Extinct city)

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14. Qualifier that, as a heading, is itself qualified (H810, 1c.):
    • Specific town or city used as qualifier:  See above, “City sections,etc.”

    • Other:  Drop qualifier to qualifier.  (Note:  This practise may result in ambiguity.)

      E.g.    651  0  $a Québec (Province)

              but

      651  0  $a Montréal (Québec)

                  [not:

            651  0  $a Montréal (Québec (Province))]

      651  0  $a Arequipa (Peru : Dept.)

              but

      651  0  $a Colca River (Arequipa, Peru)

                  [more than one river in Peru with name “Colca”; this one flows in

                  department of Arequipa; “Dept.” as qualifier is dropped]

      651  0  $a Georgia (Republic)

              but

      651  0  T`bilisi (Georgia)

                  [not:

            651  0  $a T`bilisi (Georgia (Republic))]

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15. Topical heading includes name of larger jurisdiction (H830, 7):  In indirect subdivision, repeat the larger jurisdiction in a $z subfield even if looks redundant.  (Among other reasons, this pattern helps with automatic machine flipping — global changes — of headings and subdivisions.)

    E.g.    650  0  Indians of Mexico $z Mexico $z Yucatán (State)

    650  0  Cuban literature $z Cuba $z Santiago de Cuba.

                [the 651 heading form would be: Santiago de Cuba (Cuba)]

HTML document last reviewed:  15 October 2007