What Coordinate format does the UNESCO web site provide?

Question

I found a strange coordinate format in UNESCO site

Hyllestad Quernstone Quarries
N6810014 E20551 (zone 32)

Google maps does not accept N6810014 E20551. How to decode this coordinate?

Answer 1

How to decode this coordinate?

This looks like a UTM value for Zone 33N

• 'N' for northern hemisphere
• your source uses Zone 33 elsewhere, so 32 is a typo
  • with Zone 32N, the result is in the middle of the North Sea
    • whereas with Zone 33N the result is just inside the Norwegen coast

This value must be transformed to WSG84 (EPSG:4326) which is what Google Map uses.

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Sources:

• Transform coordinates - GPS online converter
  • Default: EPSG:3857 WGS 84 / Pseudo-Mercator
    • to EPSG:4326 WGS 84
• WGS 84 / UTM zone 32N - EPSG:32633
  • Between 6°E and 12°E, northern hemisphere
    • between equator and 84°N
• WGS 84 / UTM zone 33N - EPSG:32633
  • Between 12°E and 18°E, northern hemisphere
    • between equator and 84°N
• Transform UTM zone 33N (EPSG:32633) to WSG84 (EPSG:4326)
  • with N6810014 E20551
    • E(ast)/W(est) = X coordinate
      • enter value without E or W
    • N(orth)/S(outh) = Y coordinate
      • enter value without N or S
  • returns 6.079768 61.129693
    • Result shown on map

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• Transform UTM zone 32N (EPSG:32632) to WSG84 (EPSG:4326)
  • with N6810014 E20551
    • returns 0.079768 61.129693

Answer 2

As already answered, the coordinates are (should be...) given in UTM format. Of the 4 coordinates given in the document, only the one for Oseberg is actually a correct coordinate.

The UTM format is quite convenient for short distances because you can calculate distances by simply taking the difference between two coordinates. The numbers are the distance in northern and eastern direction from a reference point. This point is at a longitude of Z*6°-177° on the equator, in our case of zone 32 9° East. From there we go N meters North and E-500000 meters West (At least as first approximation, but you'll be within very few kilometers of the actual position. Exact calculation takes a lot more effort. "500000" is just an arbitrary constant we have to subtract.).

In your case there is a problem with the "Easting" coordinate which gives a position of 500,000m-20,000m=480,000m east of 9° West, which would be far outside zone 32 and therefore not a valid number. In Norway the coordinate cant be smaller than about 250,000 to be valid.

The actual location of this UNESCO site seems to be around 61.17°N 5.31°E, which should have coordinates "32V E301700 N6787500".

So, either the Easting value has a typo, or, while generating the coordinates the calculator was erroneously set to zone 33 as @mark-johnson noted. This results in coordinates that are near, but not quite at the right location. That's mainly because the system is not designed to properly denote locations far outside the zone of 6° width due to the curvature and oblateness of Earth.

If you look at the other coordinates given on the page there are more errors, e.g. for "Gokstad N656S400 E 228539". Note the "S" in what should be a numerical value! This has to be another transcription error and clearly shout be a "5".