The Fourth United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in Geneva in 1982 passed a resolution recommending
countries "to publish and keep up-to-date toponymic guidelines for map and other editors which may enable cartographers of
other countries to treat correctly all problems of cartographic toponymy of the countries that produced such guidelines, and
which may of help to all users in interpreting maps".
Toponymic guidelines (in PDF-format).
The guidelines contain i.a. the following items:
- legal status of geographical names in the respective languages of Norwegian place-names (Norwegian, North Saami, Lule Saami, South Saami, Kven (Finnish)),
- alphabets of the languages in question,
- spelling rules for Norwegian place-names,
- aids to pronunciation of place-names,
- relationship between dialects and standard languages,
- areal distribution of languages in multilingual areas,
- names authorities and measures taken in names standardization,
- source material,
- glossary of words necessary for the understanding of maps,
- abbreviations in official maps,
- administrative divisions.