# How to change coordinate display from e.g. -70° to 70°W on the map frame

**URL:** <https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/how-to-change-coordinate-display-from-e-g-70-to-70-w-on-the-map-frame/1555>\
**Category:** Q&A\
**Created:** [April 12, 2021, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/how-to-change-coordinate-display-from-e-g-70-to-70-w-on-the-map-frame/1555 "2021-04-12T12:31:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![macaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@macaroni](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/macaroni)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 12:31pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/how-to-change-coordinate-display-from-e-g-70-to-70-w-on-the-map-frame/1555/1 "2021-04-12T12:31:16Z")

</div>

Hello,  
I’m new to GMT and just started making maps.  
I was wondering how to change the notation of coordinates displayed on the frame of my map from e.g. -70° to 70°W.

Thanks!!

In the picture below you can see it displayed as -70°:

 ![ChileBunt](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/uploads/gmt/original/2X/6/6c58580b5a6c709fc0a0306c6296146b494fbf7e.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![maxrjones](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex047/user_avatar/forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/maxrjones/32/2698_2.png) [@maxrjones](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/maxrjones)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/how-to-change-coordinate-display-from-e-g-70-to-70-w-on-the-map-frame/1555/2 "2021-04-12T15:18:50Z")

</div>

I think you are looking for the [FORMAT\_GEO\_MAP](https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/dev/gmt.conf.html#term-FORMAT_GEO_MAP) parameter. You can look at [example 07](https://docs.generic-mapping-tools.org/dev/gallery/ex07.html) for an example of how to set FORMAT\_GEO\_MAP for a single command.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![macaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@macaroni](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/u/macaroni)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.generic-mapping-tools.org/t/how-to-change-coordinate-display-from-e-g-70-to-70-w-on-the-map-frame/1555/3 "2021-04-12T15:24:59Z")

</div>

Thank you! It worked!