Google Brings Plus Codes To 18 MENA Countries

The Plus Codes feature of Google Maps will soon be turned on for users in 18 MENA countries, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria.

The feature allows Google Maps users to turn their latitude and longitude co-ordinates into a short sequence of numbers and letters that they can easily share with others.

“Plus Codes are like street addresses for people or places that don’t have one,” explains Google. “With a Plus Code, people can receive deliveries, access emergency and social services, or just help other people find them.”

The geocode system behind the feature, called the Open Location Code (OLC), was developed at Google’s Zürich engineering office and launched in 2014.

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Earlier this year, Plus Codes launched in India, quickly attracting hundreds of thousands of users. Plus Codes are also widely used by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments in Sub-Saharan Africa, and businesses that want to make it easier for customers to find them.

To Generate A Plus Code On A Computer

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Select the location for which you want to generate a Plus Code.
3. Click the coordinates (such as 49.475019, 17.116156) displayed in the info box at the bottom.
4. Hover your mouse over the plus code in the left pane.
5. Click the copy button to copy the generated Plus Code to the clipboard.

To Generate A Plus Code On A Mobile Device

1. Launch the Google Maps app.
2. Drop a pin at the location for which you want to generate a Plus Code.
3. Tap the “Dropped pin” panel at the bottom.
4. Find the Plus Code beside the Plus Code logo.
5. Tap the Plus Code to copy it to the clipboard.

Alternatively, you can use the map on the official website of Plus Code to quickly generate a Plus Code for any location with a street address.