Alternative Geocoders and Gazetteers?

[jamiefolsom]

We should support alternative geocoders. Some projects need different polygons than the ones available on MapTiler.

We do currently allow upload of GeoJSON shapes, which is great, but drawing them, whether within FD, or elsewhere, is a lot of work. There must be other sources for this data.

Here are two shapes for the UK, both not great in different ways.

• Research: what's out there?
• Analyse: what would the path be for integration of sources you find?
• Discuss: let's decide on a good path for implementation.
• Implement.

Assigned to @blms, for discussion, then re-assignment if/as necessary, time permitting, to whomever takes it on.

[jamiefolsom]

Adding some info I've found for further research:

• https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/GeoJSON
• https://maplibre.org/maplibre-style-spec/sources/#geojson
• https://open-innovations.org/data/geojson.html

[jamiefolsom]

Another example:

I wonder if we should/could locate, create or even purchase one or more sets of geojson shapes for use by all projects, and either host them or load them into a template project or something, so they can be used by anyone who needs them.

• Continents
• Countries
• Cities
• Regions
• Other

These would have to be bounded in time ("as of date x"), and maybe even attributed to a person, gov't, people or school of thought ("according to party x"). But we could do them upon request, and have them selectable at project creation time, or from within the place record.