# ISO Metadata

## ISO Metadata

This FAQ references the FGDC endorsed ISO (International Organization for Standardization) metadata standards, [ISO 19115: Geographic information - Metadata](https://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/iso-standards). For more information see FGDC’s [ISO 191\*\* Suite of Geospatial Metadata Standards](https://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/iso-suite-of-geospatial-metadata-standards).

ISO metadata provides descriptive information about geospatial datasets and products to make them easier to discover, access, and use. The ISO standards specify the XML implementation for the metadata. Good metadata supports the [FAIR Principles](https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/) making data:

- **F**indable Machine-readable metadata support the automatic discovery of datasets and services
- **A**ccessible Once a user finds the required data, metadata provides information on how the data can be accessed
- **I**nteroperable Metadata provides the information necessary for the data to work reliably with other data, applications, or workflows for analysis, storage, and processing
- **R**eusable

Metadata provides the information so that data can be used to derive other data and replicated and/or combined in different settings

## Metadata Background Information:**

- USGS’s [Metadata in plain language](https://geology.usgs.gov/tools/metadata/tools/doc/ctc/)
- NOAA’s [Introduction to Metadata](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/resources/metadata)
- Wikipedia’s [Geospatial metadata](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geospatial_metadata)
- FGDC’s [Geospatial Metadata](https://www.fgdc.gov/metadata)

## Metadata Editors

Since [XML](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XML) is a textual format, text editors could be used to create and modify XML. In practice, unless the changes that are being made are relatively simple, having an XML editor simplifies the process. XML editors provide added capabilities to manage XML tags and structure. ISO metadata editors are XML editors that are specialized for ISO metadata editing. These editors can be further specialized to support agency- specific metadata requirements.

For more information on metadata, editors see the [Metadata Editors FAQ](metadata-editors.html).

## More information

- [FGDC Technical Guidance: Data.gov and The GeoPlatform Metadata Recommendations](https://www.fgdc.gov/technical-guidance/metadata/fgdc-technical-guidance-datagov-geoplatform-ngda.pdf)
- [Extensible Markup Language (XML) 1.0 (Fifth Edition)](https://www.w3.org/TR/xml/)