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EPSG:4258ETRS89

ETRS89 — the geodetic datum for Europe, fixed to the Eurasian plate at epoch 1989.

Code
EPSG:4258
Type
Geographic 2D
Area
Europe - ETRF by country

PROJ definition

+proj=longlat +ellps=GRS80 +towgs84=0,0,0,0,0,0,0 +no_defs +type=crs

Geographic bounds

W -16.1°   S 33.26°   E 38.01°   N 84.73°

Convert coordinates with EPSG:4258

Official EPSG transformations for ETRS89

Datum transformations involving EPSG:4258 published in the EPSG dataset, with parameters, accuracy and area of use:

67 more in the transformation directory.

About EPSG:4258

EPSG:4258 is the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 in geographic 2-D form (latitude / longitude). ETRS89 was originally aligned with ITRS at epoch 1989-01-01 and is then 'frozen' to the stable Eurasian plate, meaning its coordinates do not drift relative to the European landmass. As of the late 2020s, ETRS89 differs from WGS 84 / ITRF by roughly 60 cm and growing.

ETRS89 is the legal CRS for spatial data infrastructure across Europe under the INSPIRE Directive. National mapping agencies in Germany, France (RGF93), Spain, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries are aligned with or built directly on ETRS89.

Common use cases

  • INSPIRE-compliant European spatial data
  • European infrastructure and cadastre
  • Pan-European mapping where consistency over time is required

Common transformations from EPSG:4258

Frequently asked questions

Why does Europe use ETRS89 instead of WGS 84?
Because ETRS89 is fixed to the Eurasian plate, European coordinates remain stable to the centimetre over decades. WGS 84 drifts with global plate motion and would force constant coordinate updates.
What is the proj4 string for EPSG:4258?
The proj4 definition for EPSG:4258 is: +proj=longlat +ellps=GRS80 +towgs84=0,0,0,0,0,0,0 +no_defs +type=crs
Where is EPSG:4258 used?
EPSG:4258 (ETRS89) is defined for the area: Europe - ETRF by country.