Extract Latitude and Longitude from Place Names in Android

Takahiro Iwasa

Jul 3, 2016

2 min read

Android GIS Java

Geocoding is the process of converting place names into geographic coordinates like latitude and longitude. In Android, this can be achieved using the Geocoder class.

This article explains how to utilize the Geocoder class effectively, with an example implementation in Java.

Geocoding is a fundamental process in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and location-based services. It allows developers to map user-entered place names to their corresponding geographic coordinates, making it easier to integrate location-specific functionalities into mobile applications.

Below is a Java implementation to extract latitude and longitude from a given place name using the Geocoder class.

/**
 * Get latitude/longitude from place name.
 * @param context - The application context.
 * @param name - The place name to geocode.
 * @return An array containing latitude and longitude, or null if not found.
 */
public static double[] getLocationFromPlaceName(Context context, String name) {
    Geocoder geocoder = new Geocoder(context, Locale.getDefault());
    try {
        List<Address> location = geocoder.getFromLocationName(name, 1);
        if (location == null || location.size() < 1) {
            return null;
        }

        Address address = location.get(0);
        double[] latlng = { address.getLatitude(), address.getLongitude() };
        return latlng;
    }
    catch (IOException e) {
        return null;
    }
}

• Geocoder: The core class for converting place names to latitude and longitude.
• Locale: Ensure the Geocoder uses the appropriate locale to account for regional differences in place names.
• Error Handling: Handle exceptions like IOException gracefully to ensure a robust implementation.

Geocoding is a powerful tool that enables mobile developers to integrate location-aware features in their applications. Using the Android Geocoder class, you can efficiently convert place names into latitude and longitude values, making it easier to provide services like navigation, weather updates, and more.

Happy Coding! 🚀