Census Geography
The Department of Commerce fosters and promotes the nation's economic development and technological advancement through vigilance in international trade policy, domestic business policy and growth, and promoting economic progress at all levels.
Program Accomplishments
The Census Bureau maintains the MAF/TIGER data bases and related applications software to support the various censuses and household surveys managed by the Census Bureau with geographic products including geographic files and maps. Digital geospatial data, called TIGER/Line files, are available for the entire U.S. and its possessions. TIGER/Line files are available for the whole country from the Census Bureau's web site or on DVD. Additionally the MAF/TIGER data bases serve as the mapping base for many different automated, printed, and plotted map types required by the Census Bureau's programs. The Census Bureau's Internet site (address: http://www.census.gov/) includes mapping features and data displayed on maps, and PDF versions of the Census 2000 maps designed to be used with the data tabulations.
Uses and Use Restrictions
The U. S. Census Bureau prepares base maps that are used in the planning and conduct of its various censuses and surveys.
The Census Bureau also prepares for publication detailed maps showing States and State equivalents (i.e., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the several U. S. territories and possessions), counties and county equivalents, Congressional districts, county subdivisions, places, American Indian reservations, urbanized areas, metropolitan areas, census tracts, block-numbered areas, blocks, and other geographic units.
Some of these maps show roads and other physical features, others show only area outlines and related identifiers.
The Census Bureau also issues U. S. maps showing boundaries (e.g., States and metropolitan areas) and sometimes data sets of maps.
For the 2000 Decennial Census, an automated geographic data base, called the Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing (TIGER) system was used to generate maps, and other geographic products, including digital geospatial data files (TIGER/Line files).
In addition, the Census Bureau, in conjunction with State, local and tribal governments, maintains records of changes in legally-defined areas, and delimits the boundaries of Census-defined statistical areas for use in the next Decennial Census, and develops geographic code systems that are used in the electronic data processing of the information.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Interested persons, organizations, or government agencies.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Interested persons, organizations, or government agencies.
Credentials/Documentation
Not applicable.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
None.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
By written request.
Award Procedures
Not applicable.
Deadlines
Not applicable.
Authorization
Act of August 31, 1954, Public Law 83-740, 13 U.S.C. 8.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Not applicable.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Not applicable.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Not applicable.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Not applicable.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
None.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), audits of states, local governments, and non-profit organizations, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in federal awards are exempt from federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
None.
Financial Information
Account Identification
13-0450-0-1-376.
Obigations
FY 07 $40,210,000; FY 08 est not available; and FY 09 est not reported.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable. The Census Bureau is only an "information source" and not a fund granting agency; i.e., our assistance is limited to helping people understand what data are available to use in their analysis.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
The Census Catalog is available off the Census Bureau's homepage at https://censuscatalog.mso.census.gov/esales/start.swe. Please contact Customer Services, (301) 763-INFO (3646) for additional ordering information. Geographic information is available at http://www.census.gov/geo/www/index.html.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See list of 12 Bureau of the Census Regional Offices listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog, or www.census.gov/field/www.
Headquarters Office
Geography Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20233-7400. Telephone: (301) 763-1128 or e-mail: geography@geo.census.gov. For more information on maps and other geographic products, contact Customer Services, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC 20233. Telephone: (301) 763-INFO (3646). Published maps are generally sold by Superintendent of Documents. Unpublished maps are sold by Customer Services.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Not applicable.
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