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FREE Client Side Reverse Geocoding to City API

Introduction

Effortlessly convert real-time geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude) into detailed locality information with BigDataCloud’s Free Client-Side Reverse Geocoding API. This powerful tool seamlessly integrates with your browser’s HTML5 geolocation API or mobile device location services. Even when users decline to share their location, the API uses BigDataCloud’s advanced IP geolocation technology to deliver precise location data based on their IP address.

Curious about how this innovative fallback system works? Learn more in our blog: Free Client-Side Reverse Geocoding API with IP Geolocation Fallback.

Why Choose BigDataCloud’s Free Client-Side Reverse Geocoding API?

Exceptional Value with Unique Features

  • Totally Free: No contracts, hidden costs, or sign up required. Why is BigDataCloud's Reverse Geocoding API Free?
  • Advanced Fallback Technology: Automatically transitions to our state-of-the-art IP geolocation when real-time coordinates are unavailable.
  • Unlimited Usage: Suitable for both commercial and personal projects, with no query limits—just stick to our Fair Use Policy.

Incredible Speed and Unmatched Reliability

  • Lightning-Fast Performance: Real-time data delivery in sub-millisecond response times.
  • Enterprise-Grade Infrastructure: Hosted across 10 globally distributed data centres for top-tier redundancy and efficiency.
  • Near-Perfect Uptime: 99.999% availability with consistent, caching-free results.

High-Precision Location Data

  • Provides both administrative and non-administrative boundary details.
  • Delivers locality information in 148 languages.
  • Offers postal code-level accuracy in the US, UK, and Australia, with partial coverage elsewhere.
  • Ensures global coverage, including oceans and remote regions.
  • Receives weekly geocoder updates and daily IP geolocation updates to maintain peak accuracy.

Privacy-Focused and User-Friendly

  • Requires no API keys, preserving user anonymity and adhering to strict GDPR standards.
  • Dedicated customer support is available, even for free users.

Important Notice

Please review our Fair Use Policy Guidelines. Non-compliance may result in an IP ban. Unsure if your implementation meets the policy? Contact us for assistance.

Looking for inspiration? Try our free "Where Am I?" apps for iOS and Android. These apps demonstrate how easily you can integrate our API to delive

Get Started

This API is part of the FREE API Package and is available in free and paid plans. Please visit the FREE API Package package page for limits and pricing information.

Endpoint

GET
/data/reverse-geocode-client

Request

Parameter
latitude
Type
string
Required
Yes
Description
Latitude value as per WGS 84 reference system (GPS system). Expected values are in [-90, 90] range
Parameter
longitude
Type
string
Required
Yes
Description
Longitude value as per WGS 84 reference system (GPS system). Expected values are in [-180, 180] range
Parameter
localityLanguage
Type
string
Required
Optional, default value: en
Description
Preferred language for locality names in ISO 639-1 format, such as 'en' for English, 'es' for Spanish etc. If the requested language is unavailable for a requested location, it will default to English. If no English variant is available, will provide the native, local names. Use 'default' as the requested value to automatically adjust the language to the first administrative language in the Country.

Responses

200
OK

Sample Query

GET
https://us1.api-bdc.net/data/reverse-geocode-client?latitude=37.42159&longitude=-122.0837&localityLanguage=en

Schema

application/json
latitudenumber
Requested Latitude
lookupSourcestring
Indicates whether the results are based on reverse geocoding or IP Geolocation
longitudenumber
Requested Longitude
localityLanguageRequestedstring
localityLanguage input parameter received
continentstring
Localised Continent name in the requested language, if available
continentCodestring
Continent code
countryNamestring
Localised Country name in the requested language, if available
countryCodestring
Country code as defined by ISO 3166-1 standard
principalSubdivisionstring
Localised principal subdivision name in the requested language, if available
principalSubdivisionCodestring
Principal subdivision code as defined by ISO 3166-2 standard
citystring
The most significant populated place this location belongs. It will likely be the City name in the language requested. If unavailable, use the locality name field as a failover
localitystring
Represents the smallest geographic area recognised to which the target belongs. The language, if available, is as defined by 'localityLanguage' request parameter
postcodestring
Postcode, if available
plusCodestring
Open Location Code
fips
FIPS code object, omitted if unavailable. FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standards) Codes are codes used by the Census Bureau to uniquely identify places in the US. Visit FIPS FAQ page for more information.
statestring
State-level FIPS codes have two digits
countystring
A three digits County-level FIPS code.
countySubdivisionstring
FIPS five digits County Subdivision Code
placestring
FIPS five digits place code, omitted if unavailable
csdCodestring
CSD (Census Subdivision) code, omitted if unavailable. Canadian Geographic Codes. Visit CSD FAQ page for more information.
localityInfo
localityInfo object
administrativearray
Administrative authorities as ordered by area (most significant first). Omitted if no administrative boundaries are available
namestring
Localised name of the place in the requested language, if available. The language is as defined by the 'localityLanguage' request parameter
descriptionstring
Localised description of the place in the requested language, if available. The language is as defined by the 'localityLanguage' request parameter
isoNamestring
ISO 3166-2 standard name, if available
orderinteger
Order value consistent across all entities in the Locality Info parent object. Ordered by geographic area (most significant first)
adminLevelinteger
An administrative level as defined by OpenStreetMaps project
isoCodestring
ISO 3166-2 standard code, if available
wikidataIdstring
Wikidata item identifier, if available
geonameIdinteger
Unique identifier given by GeoNames.org, if available
chinaAdminCodestring
China Administrative division code. Only available for locations based in China and omitted for others
informativearray
Non-administrative boundaries as ordered by area (most significant first). Omitted if unavailable
namestring
Localised name of the place in the requested language, if available. The language is as defined by the 'localityLanguage' request parameter
descriptionstring
Localised description of the place in the requested language, if available. The language is as defined by the 'localityLanguage' request parameter
isoNamestring
ISO 3166-2 standard name, if available
orderinteger
Order value consistent across all entities in the Locality Info parent object. Ordered by geographic area (most significant first)
adminLevelinteger
An administrative level as defined by OpenStreetMaps project
isoCodestring
ISO 3166-2 standard code, if available
wikidataIdstring
Wikidata item identifier, if available
geonameIdinteger
Unique identifier given by GeoNames.org, if available
chinaAdminCodestring
China Administrative division code. Only available for locations based in China and omitted for others

Sample Response

JSON View
400
Bad request

Sample Response

JSON View
401
Invalid coordinates

Sample Response

JSON View
402
This endpoint does not support server-side operations

Sample Response

JSON View
500
An error has occurred and did not complete your request. Please try again

Sample Response

JSON View
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