# GeoPoint vs GeoLocation and Search and Sorting

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/geopoint-vs-geolocation-and-search-and-sorting/273018>\
**Category:** Elasticsearch\
**Created:** [May 14, 2021, 12:54pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/geopoint-vs-geolocation-and-search-and-sorting/273018 "2021-05-14T12:54:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 2

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**Author:** ![stephenb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/stephenb/32/40856_2.png) [@stephenb](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/stephenb)\
**Post date:** [May 14, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/geopoint-vs-geolocation-and-search-and-sorting/273018/2 "2021-05-14T20:38:35Z")

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There are only 4 geo field types in Elasticsearch see [here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/mapping-types.html#spatial_datatypes)

However there are a number of ways specify / load those `geo_point`s see [here](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/geo-point.html)

#### Spatial data types

[`geo_point`](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/geo-point.html)

Latitude and longitude points.

[`geo_shape`](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/geo-shape.html)

Complex shapes, such as polygons.

[`point`](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/point.html)

Arbitrary cartesian points.

[`shape`](https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/shape.html)

Arbitrary cartesian geometries.

In order to use, You will need to create a mapping with the correct field types in it in order to use `geo_point` or `geo_shape`

I also explained some geo searches [here](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/reverse-geo-distance-search/263524/8)

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