Template:Geographic location/doc

Usage
This template provides for a convenient compass-based navigational aid for articles about communities. It allows you to display the communities surrounding the subject of your article. The only required field is "Centre"; the template defaults to an "(enter city)" in the centre of the box message if nothing is entered here (see note below). The fields Northwest, North, Northeast, West, East, Southwest, South, and Southeast are optional. They will be hidden when not used; when values are entered for the relevant parameters, the fields will automatically appear. (Normal Wiki markup can be used in the fields, such as links, colours, and bold/italics.)

The template is coded to handle the American spelling "center". It first looks for a value in "Centre", then in "Center"; it defaults to the "(add city)" message if both are left blank.

In order to ensure consistent usage, the following guidelines are suggested:
 * Use same-level jurisdictions or equivalent in the directional fields as in the centre. For instance, when using this template for a province, show adjacent provinces; when using it for a municipality, show adjacent municipalities; when using it for unincorporated places, show adjacent unincorporated communities; etc.
 * When a municipality borders an international, provincial, or state boundary, try to use a municipality in that adjacent jurisdiction rather than the jurisdiction itself.
 * Geographical features such as oceans, seas, lakes, and mountains should be in italics to differentiate them.
 * Avoid cluttering the template with too much detail; it is a general guide, not a detailed map.

Here is an example for Ottawa (capital of Canada) demonstrating the guidelines above: