Address descriptors request and response

European Economic Area (EEA) developers

Address descriptors include additional information that help describe a location using landmarks and areas. Check out the address descriptors demo to explore the feature.

Additional parameters

Address descriptors can be enabled through the use of the extra_computations parameter. Include extra_computations=ADDRESS_DESCRIPTORS in a geocoding request , reverse geocoding request , or a places geocoding request to receive address descriptors in your response.

Example in geocoding

The following query contains the address of a place in Delhi:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?address=4118,+Kalan+Mehal+Chandni+Chowk,+New+Delhi&extra_computations=ADDRESS_DESCRIPTORS&key=YOUR_API_KEY

Example in places geocoding

The following query contains the place ID of a place in Delhi:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?place_id=ChIJyxAX8Bj9DDkRgBfAnBYa66Q&extra_computations=ADDRESS_DESCRIPTORS&key=YOUR_API_KEY

Example in reverse geocoding

The following query contains the latitude/longitude value for a location in Delhi:

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=28.640964,77.235875&extra_computations=ADDRESS_DESCRIPTORS&key=YOUR_API_KEY

Response

An example address_descriptor is as follows:

{
  "address_descriptor" : {
     "areas" : [
        {
           "containment" : "OUTSKIRTS",
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Turkman Gate"
           },
           "place_id" : "ChIJ_7LLvyb9DDkRMKKxP9YyXgs"
        },
        {
           "containment" : "OUTSKIRTS",
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Chandni Chowk"
           },
           "place_id" : "ChIJWcXciBr9DDkRUb4dCDykTwI"
        },
        {
           "containment" : "NEAR",
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Katar Ganj"
           },
           "place_id" : "ChIJH3cWUyH9DDkRaw-9CjvcRvY"
        }
     ],
     "landmarks" : [
        {
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Delite Cinema"
           },
           "straight_line_distance_meters" : 29.9306755065918,
           "place_id" : "ChIJLfiYDCT9DDkROoEa7NdupUM",
           "travel_distance_meters" : 418.7794799804688,
           "spatial_relationship" : "ACROSS_THE_ROAD",
           "types" : [ "establishment", "movie_theater", "point_of_interest" ]
        },
        {
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "YES Bank"
           },
           "straight_line_distance_meters" : 66.83731079101562,
           "place_id" : "ChIJFYHM3yb9DDkRRKGkZl2mpSQ",
           "travel_distance_meters" : 489.0340270996094,
           "spatial_relationship" : "DOWN_THE_ROAD",
           "types" : [ "bank", "establishment", "finance", "point_of_interest" ]
        },
        {
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "UCO Bank"
           },
           "straight_line_distance_meters" : 25.38849639892578,
           "place_id" : "ChIJ-c6_wCb9DDkRjIk1LeqRtGM",
           "travel_distance_meters" : 403.2246398925781,
           "spatial_relationship" : "ACROSS_THE_ROAD",
           "types" : [ "atm", "bank", "establishment", "finance", "point_of_interest" ]
        },
        {
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Delhi By Cycle Meeting Point"
           },
           "straight_line_distance_meters" : 44.02867126464844,
           "place_id" : "ChIJNxVfkSb9DDkRJD22l-eGFdM",
           "travel_distance_meters" : 97.41281890869141,
           "spatial_relationship" : "AROUND_THE_CORNER",
           "types" : [
              "establishment",
              "point_of_interest",
              "tourist_attraction",
              "travel_agency"
           ]
        },
        {
           "display_name" : {
              "language_code" : "en",
              "text" : "Axis Bank Branch"
           },
           "straight_line_distance_meters" : 102.3495178222656,
           "place_id" : "ChIJr3uaDCT9DDkR8roHTVSn1x4",
           "travel_distance_meters" : 330.8566284179688,
           "spatial_relationship" : "DOWN_THE_ROAD",
           "types" : [ "bank", "establishment", "finance", "point_of_interest" ]
        }
     ]
  }
}

There are two arrays in each address_descriptor object: landmarks and areas. The landmarks array contains up to 5 results ranked in order of relevance by taking account of proximity to the requested coordinate, the prevalence of the landmark and its visibility. Each landmark result contains the following values:

  • place_id is the place ID of the landmarks result. See the place ID overview.
  • display_name is the display name of the landmark and contains language_code and text.
  • straight_line_distance_meters is the point to point distance in meters between the input coordinate and the landmarks result.
  • travel_distance_meters is the distance in meters as traveled via the road network (ignoring road restrictions) between the input coordinate and the landmarks result.
  • spatial_relationship is the estimated relationship between the input coordinate and the landmarks result:
    • "NEAR" is the default relationship when none of the following applies.
    • "WITHIN" when the input coordinate is contained within the bounds of the structure associated with the landmark.
    • "BESIDE" when the input coordinate is directly adjacent to the landmark or landmark's access point.
    • "ACROSS_THE_ROAD" when the input coordinate is directly opposite of the landmark on the other side of the route.
    • "DOWN_THE_ROAD" when the input coordinate is along the same route as the landmark, but not "BESIDES" or "ACROSS_THE_ROAD".
    • "AROUND_THE_CORNER" when the input coordinate is along a perpendicular route as the landmark (restricted to a single turn).
    • "BEHIND" when the input coordinate is spatially close to the landmark, but far from its access point.
  • types are the Place types of the landmark.

The areas object contains up to 3 responses and limits itself to places that represent small regions, such as neighborhoods, sublocalities, and large complexes. Areas that contain the requested coordinate are listed first and ordered from smallest to largest. Each areas result contains the following values:

  • place_id is the place ID of the areas result. See the place ID overview.
  • display_name is the display name of the area and contains language_code and text.
  • containment is the estimated containment relationship between the input coordinate and the areas result:
    • "NEAR" is the default relationship when none of the following applies.
    • "WITHIN" when the input coordinate is close to the center of the area.
    • "OUTSKIRTS" when the input coordinate is close to the edge of the area.

Coverage

Address descriptors are available in all regions. See region coverage for details.

Feedback

This feature is available in all regions and is in GA for India and in the pre-GA Experimental launch stage for all other regions. We would appreciate feedback. Please email us at address-descriptors-feedback@google.com.