Alphabetize geographical names according to the main noun (Ontario, Lake; Robson, Mt.), except where the generic noun is part of the title (Lake of the Woods). Alphabetize non-English names under the article if there is one (La Prairie; La Tuque; Los Angeles), but list English names with articles under the main noun (Eastern Townships, The; Pas, The).
List items under the names most commonly or officially used or most recently adopted, with a cross-reference from the alternative or former title:
- Dahomey. See Bénin
- Moldavian S.S.R. See Moldova
- Rhodesia. See Zambia; Zimbabwe
For information about the official versions of Canadian place names, see geographical names: types and composition.
The English version of a French or foreign place name should be used. When there are two non-English names for the same place, use the one more commonly found in written English, e.g. Bruges, not Brugge.
In the English-speaking world the same name is used for many geographical entities. Use modifiers in parentheses when necessary:
- Hull (Quebec)
- Paris (Ontario)
The same word may be listed several times:
- Québec (city)
- Quebec (government)
- Quebec (province)
When listing the numbers of the pages where reference to a place is made, remember that it may also be referred to by its generic noun alone-the lake, the mountain, etc.-and that such references should be included in the index entry.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
Related links
- Writing Tips Plus (home page)
- Writing tools
- Language Navigator (for fast access to language tips)
- TERMIUM Plus®