How can I get city name from a latitude and longitude point?

Is there a way to get a city name from a latitude and longitude point using the google maps api for javascript?

If so could I please see an example?

This is called Reverse Geocoding

Documentation from Google:

http://code.google.com/apis/maps/documentation/geocoding/#ReverseGeocoding.
Sample Call to Google's geocode Web Service:

http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=40.714224,-73.961452&sensor=true&key=YOUR_KEY

Here is a complete sample:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Geolocation API with Google Maps API</title>
    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
  </head>
  <body>
    <script>
      function displayLocation(latitude,longitude){
        var request = new XMLHttpRequest();

        var method = 'GET';
        var url = 'http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng='+latitude+','+longitude+'&sensor=true';
        var async = true;

        request.open(method, url, async);
        request.onreadystatechange = function(){
          if(request.readyState == 4 && request.status == 200){
            var data = JSON.parse(request.responseText);
            var address = data.results[0];
            document.write(address.formatted_address);
          }
        };
        request.send();
      };

      var successCallback = function(position){
        var x = position.coords.latitude;
        var y = position.coords.longitude;
        displayLocation(x,y);
      };

      var errorCallback = function(error){
        var errorMessage = 'Unknown error';
        switch(error.code) {
          case 1:
            errorMessage = 'Permission denied';
            break;
          case 2:
            errorMessage = 'Position unavailable';
            break;
          case 3:
            errorMessage = 'Timeout';
            break;
        }
        document.write(errorMessage);
      };

      var options = {
        enableHighAccuracy: true,
        timeout: 1000,
        maximumAge: 0
      };

      navigator.geolocation.getCurrentPosition(successCallback,errorCallback,options);
    </script>
  </body>
</html>

In node.js we can use node-geocoder npm module to get address from lat, lng.,

geo.js

var NodeGeocoder = require('node-geocoder');

var options = {
  provider: 'google',
  httpAdapter: 'https', // Default
  apiKey: ' ', // for Mapquest, OpenCage, Google Premier
  formatter: 'json' // 'gpx', 'string', ...
};

var geocoder = NodeGeocoder(options);

geocoder.reverse({lat:28.5967439, lon:77.3285038}, function(err, res) {
  console.log(res);
});

output:

node geo.js

[ { formattedAddress: 'C-85B, C Block, Sector 8, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301, India',
    latitude: 28.5967439,
    longitude: 77.3285038,
    extra: 
     { googlePlaceId: 'ChIJkTdx9vzkDDkRx6LVvtz1Rhk',
       confidence: 1,
       premise: 'C-85B',
       subpremise: null,
       neighborhood: 'C Block',
       establishment: null },
    administrativeLevels: 
     { level2long: 'Gautam Buddh Nagar',
       level2short: 'Gautam Buddh Nagar',
       level1long: 'Uttar Pradesh',
       level1short: 'UP' },
    city: 'Noida',
    country: 'India',
    countryCode: 'IN',
    zipcode: '201301',
    provider: 'google' } ]

Here is the latest sample of Google's geocode Web Service

https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=40.714224,-73.961452&key=YOUR_API_KEY

Simply change the YOUR_API_KEY to the API key you get from Google Geocoding API

P/S: Geocoding API is under Places NOT Maps ;)

Here's a modern solution using a promise:

function getAddress (latitude, longitude) {
    return new Promise(function (resolve, reject) {
        var request = new XMLHttpRequest();

        var method = 'GET';
        var url = 'http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/geocode/json?latlng=' + latitude + ',' + longitude + '&sensor=true';
        var async = true;

        request.open(method, url, async);
        request.onreadystatechange = function () {
            if (request.readyState == 4) {
                if (request.status == 200) {
                    var data = JSON.parse(request.responseText);
                    var address = data.results[0];
                    resolve(address);
                }
                else {
                    reject(request.status);
                }
            }
        };
        request.send();
    });
};

And call it like this:

getAddress(lat, lon).then(console.log).catch(console.error);

The promise returns the address object in 'then' or the error status code in 'catch'

How can I get city name from a latitude and longitude point?

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