# ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus

> geographic names thesaurus of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research

**Wikidata**: [Q110305490](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110305490)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/icpsr-geographic-names-thesaurus

## Summary
The ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus is a specialized controlled vocabulary maintained by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). It serves as a dedicated component of the broader ICPSR Thesaurus, designed to standardize and classify geographic names for social science research. Hosted online by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, it functions as both a reference tool and a searchable website.

## Key Facts
- **Title:** ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus
- **Aliases:** Geographic Names Thesaurus
- **Creator:** Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR)
- **Parent Resource:** Part of the larger ICPSR Thesaurus (which covers names, subjects, and organizations)
- **Instance Type:** Thesaurus, Website
- **Location:** Ann Arbor, United States
- **Publisher:** Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
- **Access URL:** https://www.icpsr.umich.edu/web/ICPSR/thesaurus/10003
- **Language:** English
- **Wikidata Property:** P10326

## FAQs
### Q: What is the ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus used for?
A: It is used to provide standardized geographic names for the cataloging and retrieval of data within the ICPSR archives. It ensures consistency in how locations are tagged and searched across social science datasets.

### Q: Who maintains this thesaurus?
A: The thesaurus is created, published, and maintained by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), an organization based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

### Q: How does this thesaurus relate to other ICPSR resources?
A: It is a specific subset or "part of" the wider ICPSR Thesaurus. While the main thesaurus covers subjects and organizations, this resource specifically focuses on geographic entities.

## Why It Matters
The ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus plays a critical role in the organization and discoverability of social science data. By establishing a controlled vocabulary for geographic locations, it solves the common problem of variant place names (e.g., "USA" vs. "United States" vs. "America") which can hinder accurate search results in vast data archives. As part of the ICPSR's metadata infrastructure, it allows researchers to precisely filter studies and variables by specific regions, countries, or cities.

Maintained by a leading authority in social science research (ICPSR), the thesaurus ensures high data quality and interoperability. Its availability as a web-based resource facilitates easy access for catalogers and researchers alike, ensuring that data annotation remains consistent with international standards used by the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research.

## Notable For
- **Specialized Focus:** Unlike general thesauri, it is specifically tailored for geographic names within the context of political and social research.
- **Integration:** It is a distinct component of the comprehensive "ICPSR Thesaurus," which encompasses subjects, organizations, and names.
- **Authority:** It is an official resource of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, a prominent data archive based in the United States.
- **Accessibility:** It is publicly accessible via a dedicated web interface maintained by ICPSR.

## Body

### Organizational Context
The ICPSR Geographic Names Thesaurus is a product of the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR). The organization, which acts as both creator and publisher, is based in Ann Arbor, United States. The thesaurus is classified as both a reference document (thesaurus) and a digital resource (website).

### Structural Hierarchy
The entity functions as a specific module within a larger bibliographic framework. It is explicitly defined as a "part of" the **ICPSR Thesaurus**. The parent thesaurus is described as a comprehensive resource covering names, subjects, and organizations associated with ICPSR's holdings. This hierarchical structure allows for granular data tagging while maintaining connection to broader subject categories.

### Technical Specifications
The thesaurus is accessible in English. Its official online presence is hosted at the specific subdirectory `.../web/ICPSR/thesaurus/10003` on the ICPSR domain. In linked data contexts, the resource is identified by the Wikidata property **P10326**. The resource is continuously maintained by its parent organization to reflect geographic changes relevant to social science research.