EPSG:3987 · The Democratic Republic of the Congo
Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B to KML & KMZ
Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B (EPSG:3987) is a Transverse Mercator coordinate system on the Katanga 1955 datum, with coordinates in metres. Its official area of use is: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) - Katanga between 26°30'E and 29°30'E.
- Converter already set to EPSG:3987
- Latitude and longitude on WGS 84, as Google Earth uses
- Download the point as KML
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Good to know
- Datum: Published 7-parameter shift (typically 1–2 m).
Convert a whole spreadsheet
- Open the web app or the Windows app, and paste your rows from Excel or open a CSV file.
- Under Coordinate system, search for “3987” and pick Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B.
- Check one point you know on the map, then press Save KML or Save KMZ and open it in Google Earth.
Common mistakes with Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B
- Feet entered as metres. Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B is in metres. Coordinates copied from a drawing in feet must be converted first, or every point moves outwards from the grid's origin.
- Forgetting the datum. Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B is not on WGS 84: published 7-parameter shift (typically 1–2 m). Picking a WGS 84 grid with the same projection instead leaves the points off by that amount.
- Points outside the grid's area. Katanga 1955 / Katanga Gauss zone B is meant for The Democratic Republic of the Congo (Zaire) - Katanga between 26°30'E and 29°30'E. Points well outside that area convert with growing error; the converter flags them so you can choose the right grid.
- A local site grid. If every point is off by the same distance and direction, the drawing may be on a local site grid. Calibrate on three or more known control points instead.
New to this? Read how to convert easting and northing to latitude and longitude.