The IBGE releases today the second edition of the first volume of the Glossary of General Terms of Geographical Names used in the systematic mapping of Brazil, as part of the Permanent Updating Program of the Brazilian Continuous Cartographic Base to the Millionth - BCIM (2018 version). This edition of the glossary introduces 47 new entries, raising to 187 the number of general terms presented. The complete publication can be accessed here.

The Glossary of general terms of geographical names aims at meeting the demands on the meaning of the general terms registered in the systematic mapping of Brazil and their regional features, as well as helping to standardize the collection of geographical names. The collection of these glossaries is organized into volumes classified according to the mapping scales.

The geographical names designate the natural or anthropic elements, like, for example, Rio São Francisco or Aeroporto Santos Dumont. These names comprise the joining of a general term (rio, aeroporto) and a specific term (São Francisco, Santos Dumont). Some of these general terms do not have evident meanings or are typical of particular regions of Brazil. It is the case of arroio, boqueirão, corixo, eclusa, furo, grota, impuca, lagamar, marimbu, restinga, saco, pontal and vargem, among others.

The second edition of the glossary gathers 187 entries, defining the general terms present in the 2018 version of the Brazilian Continuous Cartographic Base to the Millionth - BCIM. Moreover, the glossary includes a list of terms that are part of the classification of localities designed by the IBGE (vilas, povoados, cidades, etc.).

Geographical names are powerful cultural elements in the representations of the territory and express an effective appropriation of the space by a certain group. Geographical names are considered a heritage, since patterns of occupation, identity and linguistic diversity may be identified through them. The lack of standardization of the geographical names can difficult land documentation and even cause territorial disputes, among other consequences.