Google Maps API region parameter for postcode search - google-maps

Question

I want to use Google Maps API to get the coordinates of a postcode.
I am using this documentation: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/intro?csw=1
When I now want to search for the postcode 1200 (Genève in Switzerland) I use this URL:
https://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?region=ch&components=postal_code:1200
I get alot of different results, but none in Switzerland (Results of this are at the end of the question). It looks like the region parameter does not work at all because I get results in other counrtys.
When I search for 1201 (also Genève) it works.
Any idea why? I would rather get not any result then wrong results (results in other countries)
{
"results" : [
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1200",
"short_name" : "1200",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt",
"short_name" : "Region Brüssel-Hauptstadt",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Belgien",
"short_name" : "BE",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "1200, Belgien",
"geometry" : {
"bounds" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 50.86307189999999,
"lng" : 4.4629024
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 50.8337598,
"lng" : 4.3999935
}
},
"location" : {
"lat" : 50.850308,
"lng" : 4.4278228
},
"location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 50.86307189999999,
"lng" : 4.4629024
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 50.8337598,
"lng" : 4.3999935
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJNa8iqqHcw0cRG4NyYbv66KY",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1200",
"short_name" : "1200",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Wien",
"short_name" : "Wien",
"types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Wien",
"short_name" : "Wien",
"types" : [ "postal_town" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Wien",
"short_name" : "Wien",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Österreich",
"short_name" : "AT",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "1200 Wien, Österreich",
"geometry" : {
"bounds" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 48.2646423,
"lng" : 16.4007913
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 48.2252299,
"lng" : 16.3618448
}
},
"location" : {
"lat" : 48.235668,
"lng" : 16.373098
},
"location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 48.2646423,
"lng" : 16.4007913
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 48.2252299,
"lng" : 16.3618448
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJs0PDoUQGbUcRI9VvmpZbVzQ",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1200",
"short_name" : "1200",
"types" : [ "postal_code", "postal_code_prefix" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Lissabon",
"short_name" : "Lissabon",
"types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Lissabon",
"short_name" : "Lissabon",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Portugal",
"short_name" : "PT",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "1200 Lissabon, Portugal",
"geometry" : {
"bounds" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 38.7177413,
"lng" : -9.1387655
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 38.7006072,
"lng" : -9.168078299999999
}
},
"location" : {
"lat" : 38.7096083,
"lng" : -9.1539178
},
"location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 38.7177413,
"lng" : -9.1387655
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 38.7006072,
"lng" : -9.168078299999999
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJT3JAUYI0GQ0R4Nc7DsHrABw",
"types" : [ "postal_code", "postal_code_prefix" ]
},
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1200",
"short_name" : "1200",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Mbombela",
"short_name" : "Mbombela",
"types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Mbombela",
"short_name" : "Mbombela",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_3", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Ehlanzeni",
"short_name" : "Ehlanzeni",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_2", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Mpumalanga",
"short_name" : "MP",
"types" : [ "administrative_area_level_1", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Südafrika",
"short_name" : "ZA",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "Mbombela, 1200, Südafrika",
"geometry" : {
"bounds" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : -25.434559,
"lng" : 31.035606
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : -25.5273621,
"lng" : 30.9615131
}
},
"location" : {
"lat" : -25.4922163,
"lng" : 31.0048384
},
"location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : -25.434559,
"lng" : 31.035606
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : -25.5273621,
"lng" : 30.9615131
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJC-Upoo1J6B4RbhfORqGdY2s",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"address_components" : [
{
"long_name" : "1200",
"short_name" : "1200",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "København K",
"short_name" : "København K",
"types" : [ "political", "sublocality", "sublocality_level_1" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "København",
"short_name" : "København",
"types" : [ "locality", "political" ]
},
{
"long_name" : "Dänemark",
"short_name" : "DK",
"types" : [ "country", "political" ]
}
],
"formatted_address" : "1200 København K, Dänemark",
"geometry" : {
"bounds" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 55.6788537,
"lng" : 12.581048
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 55.6774083,
"lng" : 12.5790574
}
},
"location" : {
"lat" : 55.6780957,
"lng" : 12.5799054
},
"location_type" : "APPROXIMATE",
"viewport" : {
"northeast" : {
"lat" : 55.6794799802915,
"lng" : 12.5814016802915
},
"southwest" : {
"lat" : 55.6767820197085,
"lng" : 12.5787037197085
}
}
},
"place_id" : "ChIJuYvG1hZTUkYREL3-tlYomQk",
"types" : [ "postal_code" ]
}
],
"status" : "OK"
}

Answer 1

Like duncan said, the region code will only influence, not fully restrict, results from the geocoder. To know more about it, check the region biasing.
If you want specific results in a country, then use the component=country instead of a region.
I tried to request the postal_code:1200 in the country Switzerland. And I get zero results. So make that the request that you are using is valid.
https://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?components=postal_code:1200|country:CH
And if I tried the postal_code:1201, I get the specific results that you want.
https://maps.google.com/maps/api/geocode/json?components=postal_code:1201|country:CH
If you are sure that the postal_code:1200 is valid postal code in Switzerland, then maybe that postal_code is not considered the postal code for Geneva, Switzerland by the Google Maps.
Try to also to check this related SO question that I answered.