# GIS Match Codes

**URL:** <https://forum.ipums.org/t/gis-match-codes/2863>\
**Category:** TERRA\
**Created:** [March 13, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/gis-match-codes/2863 "2019-03-13T18:53:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Dennis\_Kunichoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dennis\_Kunichoff](https://forum.ipums.org/u/Dennis_Kunichoff)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 6:53pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/gis-match-codes/2863/1 "2019-03-13T18:53:32Z")

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I’m struggling to understand what these match codes match to-- zip codes? FIPS? Where can I find documentation to interpret them as geographic locations.  
Thanks in advance.

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**Author:** ![JeffBloem](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex019/user_avatar/forum.ipums.org/jeffbloem/32/40_2.png) [@JeffBloem](https://forum.ipums.org/u/JeffBloem)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://forum.ipums.org/t/gis-match-codes/2863/2 "2019-03-13T19:13:37Z")

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The geographic codes in the microdata available via IPUMS Terra correspond to the data available via [IPUMS International](https://international.ipums.org/international/index.shtml). So, for example the [GEO2\_US2005](https://international.ipums.org/international-action/variables/GEO2_US2005#description_section)variable indicates the PUMA (or public use microdata area), which is the second level of geographic identification available in US samples. A complete listing of all geographic variables available in IPUMS International (and by extension IPUMS Terra) is [available here](https://international.ipums.org/international/geography_variables_list.shtml).