Coordinate systems for German GIS data

The systems you are most likely to meet

Web Mercator is designed for tiled maps. Its scale varies with latitude, so it is not the default choice for authoritative distance or area calculations.

What an EPSG code tells you

An EPSG code identifies a defined CRS—not just a map projection. That definition covers the reference frame or datum, coordinate axes, units and, for a projected CRS, the method that turns positions on the earth into flat-map coordinates.

• WGS 84 is a global geographic reference system. Its coordinates are angular values.
• ETRS89 / UTM is projected in metres and tied to the stable Eurasian plate. Germany spans UTM zones 32N and 33N.
• DHDN / Gauss–Krueger is an older German datum and projection family. A conversion to ETRS89 is a datum transformation, not just a change of units.

Two datasets can both use metre coordinates and still have different reference systems. The word “UTM” is also incomplete without a zone, hemisphere and datum.

UTM zone 32N or 33N?

The nominal boundary is 12° east longitude: UTM zone 32 extends from 6°E to 12°E, and zone 33 from 12°E to 18°E. Most western and central German datasets therefore use EPSG:25832, while EPSG:25833 is common in the east.

Location alone is not conclusive. A state-wide or cross-border dataset may deliberately use one zone on both sides of the boundary. Prefer the CRS declared in metadata, a service description or accompanying documentation. If none exists, ask the publisher before building further work on an assumption.

Clues in the coordinate values

Number ranges are useful for detecting an obvious mismatch, but they cannot uniquely identify a CRS. For locations in Germany, these patterns are common:

• WGS 84 values are normally decimal degrees: longitude is roughly 5–16 and latitude roughly 47–55.
• ETRS89 / UTM eastings are commonly six digits, while northings are around 5.2–6.1 million. The values alone do not distinguish zone 32 from zone 33.
• Gauss–Krueger eastings commonly carry the zone in the leading digit—for example, a value beginning with 3 is a clue for zone 3. Confirm it before choosing EPSG:31467.

A neat-looking map is not proof. Applying the wrong zone or datum can keep the geometry shape intact while moving the entire dataset.

Longitude, latitude and axis order

GIS tools often display geographic positions as longitude, latitude—X first, then Y. GeoJSON positions follow that order. The formal axis definition of EPSG:4326, however, lists latitude before longitude, and some services follow the formal order. Always check the surrounding format or API contract.

If a point expected in Germany appears in the Indian Ocean or outside the valid latitude range, swapped axes are one of the first things to test. Do not silently swap every pair: inspect the field names, bounds and specification first.

Assigning a CRS versus transforming coordinates

Assigning a CRS labels existing numbers. Use that only when the numbers are correct and the label is missing. Transforming calculates new numbers in a target CRS. Use that when the source CRS is known and the data must be reprojected.

Assigning EPSG:4326 to UTM metre values does not convert them; it merely interprets those metre values as degrees. Conversely, transforming data from an incorrectly assigned source CRS gives a confidently calculated but incorrect result.

When the file does not contain a CRS

A Shapefile normally stores its CRS in the accompanying .prj file. If that file is missing, the geometry remains readable but its reference system is not defined. Formats such as DXF may contain drawing coordinates without a reliably usable geospatial CRS.

1. Look for metadata, a README, service description or delivery specification.
2. Ask the data provider for the exact EPSG code.
3. Use known reference points or expected bounds as a cross-check, not as the sole proof.
4. Document any CRS you assign before sharing the repaired dataset.

See the Shapefile reference and DXF reference for their format-specific CRS behaviour.

How GeoVerto handles the CRS

File analysis reports the CRS found in the dataset and a confidence value. If the source does not provide enough information, the converter asks for a source CRS rather than treating a guess as metadata. A selected target CRS then triggers an actual coordinate transformation during conversion.

For a single point, use the English coordinate converter. For a complete layer or table, choose the matching route in all file converters.

A safe identification checklist

• Find the EPSG code in the source metadata before inspecting the numbers.
• Confirm whether the units are degrees or metres.
• Check axis order and the expected geographic bounds.
• Distinguish ETRS89 / UTM from legacy DHDN / Gauss–Krueger.
• Test a known point before converting an entire delivery.

The practical GIS guides cover missing-CRS and UTM-zone cases in more detail.

View this page in German