# Dual Independent Map Encoding

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Encoding scheme for storing geographical data

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**Dual Independent Map Encoding** (**DIME**) is an [encoding](/source/Code) scheme developed by the [US Bureau of the Census](/source/United_States_Census_Bureau) for efficiently storing [geographical](/source/Geography) data. The committee behind the case study that eventually resulted in DIME was established in 1965, although the term *DIME* itself was coined by George Farnsworth in August 1967. The [file format](/source/File_format) developed for storing the DIME-encoded data was known as [Geographic Base Files](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Geographic_Base_Files&action=edit&redlink=1) (GBF). The Census Bureau replaced the data format with [Topologically Integrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing](/source/Topologically_Integrated_Geographic_Encoding_and_Referencing) (TIGER) in 1990.

## See also

- [Geographic information system](/source/Geographic_information_system)

## External links

- [A short story of DIME](https://web.archive.org/web/20120722014135/http://www.ncgia.buffalo.edu/gishist/DIME_story.html)

- ["What is GIS? | Geographic Information System Mapping Technology"](http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html). What is GIS (corporate backed web site)

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