Re: standard schemas for addresses, others?

On Wed, Jan 22, 2003 at 14:18:47 -0800,
Dennis Gearon <gearond(at)cvc(dot)net> wrote:
> Are there any sites with 'standard schemas' for certain, repetitive database needs? For
> example, addresses and their components. Does anyone have a schema for addresses that will
> work for the USA *AND* internation addresses?
>
> entities
> ----------
> Countries
> States
> Counties
> Cities
> street addresess.
> Postal Codes
>
> Some rules:
> -------------
> A/ Do duplicate countries
> B/ No duplicate states in Countries
> (states seem only to exist in 'Federal' governments)
> C/ No duplicate postal codes in Countries
> D/ Duplicate cities are allowed in Countries,
> and in the world.
> E/ Duplicate cities are allowed in States.
> F/ Cities can have multiple postal codes
> G/ Postal codes are assigned to only one city.
> H/ Postal codes are assigned to counties.
> I/

The post office has information on US addresses. They are more complicated
than you might think. Puerto Rico especially.
Note that 5 digit zip codes can span states.

There is FIPS data that you can get from the government over the net
(at least until they realize terrorists might find the data useful)
that has information about streets in the US.