scope:

This International Standard specifies a variable-length format for the representation of latitude, longitude and altitude for use in data interchange. The representation of altitude is optional and its presence or absence is implicit in the format. This International Standard allows the use of normal sexagesimal notations involving degrees, minutes and seconds as well as various combinations of sexagesimal and decimal notations - degrees and decimal degrees, minutes and decimal seconds; degrees, minutes, seconds and decimal seconds. It makes use of the numeric characters 0 to 9, the graphic characters plus (+), minus (-), full stop (.) and comma (,).