Source: https://developers.woosmap.com/products/localities/concepts/language-support/

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# Language Support



## Language Support in Localities API

The Localities API supports multiple languages for location names, addresses, and administrative divisions. Language
availability depends on the region and the specific location data available.

### Supported Languages

The API uses **ISO 639-1** alpha-2 codes to specify languages. The following languages are supported:

- **English (en)** - Default language, worldwide coverage
- **French (fr)** - Primary support in France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, and other French-speaking regions
- **German (de)** - Primary support in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking regions
- **Spanish (es)** - Primary support in Spain, Mexico, and other Spanish-speaking countries
- **Italian (it)** - Primary support in Italy and Italian-speaking regions
- **Dutch (nl)** - Primary support in Netherlands, Belgium, and Dutch-speaking regions
- **Portuguese (pt)** - Primary support in Portugal, Brazil, and Portuguese-speaking regions
- **Chinese (zh)** - Support for Simplified and Traditional Chinese in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore
- **Japanese (ja)** - Support in Japan
- **Korean (ko)** - Support in South Korea
- **Russian (ru)** - Support in Russia and Russian-speaking regions
- **Arabic (ar)** - Support in Arabic-speaking countries
- **Hindi (hi)** - Support in India
- **And many more** - Additional languages are supported based on regional data availability

### Regional Language Availability

Language support is regional. While English (`en`) is available as a common fallback, the service also includes support
for many local languages. The table below outlines the primary languages supported by region.

| Region               | Primary Languages Supported              |
|----------------------|------------------------------------------|
| Europe               | `en`, `fr`, `de`, `es`, `it`, `nl`, `ru` |
| The Americas         | `en`, *`es`*, `fr`                       |
| Asia Pacific         | `en`, `zh`, `ja`, `ko`, `hi`             |
| Middle East & Africa | `en`, `ar`, `fr`, `pt`                   |

### How Language is Determined

You can specify the language in your request using the `language` parameter
in [Localitiesw Autocomplete](/products/localities/features/autocomplete/)
and [Localities Geocoding](/products/localities/features/geocoding/) requests:

```bash
# Request results in French
?language=fr

# Request results in Chinese
?language=zh
```

The Localities API determines the language of the results using the following priority:

1. **`language` Parameter:** If the `language` parameter is supplied in the request, the API will use it.
2. **`Accept-Language` Header:** If the `language` parameter is *not* supplied, the API will check for the browser's or
   client's `Accept-Language` header and use the first known language from it.
3. **Default Language:** If neither the parameter nor the header provides a supported language, the service defaults to
   English.

### Important Notes

- **Fallback Behavior**: If the requested language is not available for a *specific location*, results for that location
  will fall back to the local language or English.
- **Address Components**: Language support applies to location names, administrative divisions, and address components.
  However, only *parts* of the address components might be translated, depending on data availability.
- **Postal Code Exception**: The `language` parameter is not necessary for a `postal_code` request.
- **Chinese Support**: Both Simplified Chinese (`zh-CN` or simply `zh`) and Traditional Chinese (`zh-TW`) are supported
  where data is available.
- **Data Availability**: All language coverage depends on the quality and availability of localized data in each region.

### Questions About Language Support

If you have questions about language availability in specific countries or regions,
please [contact support](/support/contact/) or check the [API Reference](https://developers.woosmap.com/api-reference/)
for the most current information.