Ten Organizations for Geographic Information - Geography - page 325

United States Census Bureau
This is the place to go for information on U.S. (and, to a lesser extent, global) population geography.
The census happens only once a decade, but the U.S. Census Bureau is a perennial organization with
a lot to offer. Naturally, most of that is data derived from the census and organized by various geo-
graphic levels — national, state, county, city, census-tract (rather like a postal zip code), and occa-
sionally city blocks. But the bureau is not just demographics. It provides data on housing, businesses
of all sorts, foreign trade, genealogy, and other matters. Educational resources for teachers also are
available.
Part of the Bureau's mission is to make its data readily available to the general public. Accordingly,
reams of information can be accessed and downloaded from the agency's Web site, www.census.gov ,
which also provides links to more than a hundred counterparts and related agencies around the world.
For general information, you can call the Bureau at [phone], or write to U.S. Census Bureau,
Washington, DC 20233.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
Created by an Act of Congress in 1879, the USGS is the major science agency of the federal gov-
ernment concerned with our physical planet and its Earthly processes. While the name rather matter-
of-factly recounts the agency's original mission, its scope has expanded to include ecosystems, en-
dangered species, environmental quality, and natural hazards of all sorts. The USGS is also renowned
for its handsome and exquisitely detailed topographic maps of the United States, which are available
to the public.
Like many other government agencies, the USGS has a public outreach mandate. And nowhere is this
more evident than in its robust and well-organized Web site, www.usgs.gov . Want current informa-
tion on earthquakes, volcanoes, floods and wildfires? Click on CINDI, the Center for Integration of
Natural Disaster Information. Want the latest assessment on global petroleum reserves, the impact of
oil drilling on the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve, or the status of West Nile virus? Click on USGS
headlines. General contact information is as follows: USGS National Center, 12201 Sunrise Valley
Drive, Reston, VA 20192. Or try calling at [phone] or (888) ASK-USGS.