Skip to main content
    EPSG reference

    EPSG:31838 — NGN / UTM zone 38N

    NGN / UTM zone 38N (EPSG:31838) — a Projected (metres) system on the WGS84 datum, used in Kuwait. Parameters, proj4, WKT, accuracy ±0.1 m, plus a free converter to WGS84…

    At a glance

    EPSG
    31838
    Name
    NGN / UTM zone 38N
    Kind
    Projected (metres)
    Family
    Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
    Ellipsoid
    WGS84
    Accuracy
    ±0.1 m (vs PROJ)
    Countries
    Kuwait

    Area of use

    West46.54°
    South28.53°
    East48.00°
    North30.09°

    Projection parameters

    Projectionutm
    UTM zone38
    EllipsoidWGS84
    Unitsm
    Helmert shift to WGS84-3.2,-5.7,2.8,0,0,0,0
    proj4
    +proj=utm +zone=38 +ellps=WGS84 +units=m +no_defs +towgs84=-3.2,-5.7,2.8,0,0,0,0
    WKT (ESRI)
    PROJCS["NGN / UTM zone 38N",GEOGCS["GCS_NGN / UTM zone 38N",DATUM["D_WGS_1984",SPHEROID["WGS_1984",6378137,298.257223563],TOWGS84[-3.2,-5.7,2.8,0,0,0,0]],PRIMEM["Greenwich",0],UNIT["Degree",0.0174532925199433]],PROJECTION["Transverse_Mercator"],PARAMETER["False_Easting",500000],PARAMETER["False_Northing",0],PARAMETER["Central_Meridian",45],PARAMETER["Scale_Factor",0.9996],PARAMETER["Latitude_Of_Origin",0],UNIT["Meter",1],AUTHORITY["EPSG","31838"]]

    Sample conversion

    Kuwait capital: WGS84 47.97740, 29.37590 → EPSG:31838 789012.654, 3253313.450

    Values are within ±0.1 m at the test point.

    About the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) family

    NGN / UTM zone 38N is a Universal Transverse Mercator zone — a 6°-wide belt of the worldwide UTM system, in metres, centred on a meridian carefully chosen so distortion stays low across the zone. It is the everyday working grid for GPS-derived surveying in Kuwait.

    The classic field mistake with UTM is using the wrong zone: a point one zone away is easily hundreds of kilometres off. Always confirm the zone number (and the hemisphere) before importing coordinates, and remember that UTM eastings are offset by a 500 km false easting so they never go negative.

    Useful links: Converter · Batch converter · File converter · Country page

    Request technical support

    Need help with your survey project?

    Leave your email and our technical office will review your needs and offer the right surveying or geospatial support. The tool stays free, no sign-up.

    FAQ

    It is the coordinate system “NGN / UTM zone 38N”, a Projected (metres) system in the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) family, identified worldwide by the code EPSG:31838.

    You may also need: Arab-world coordinate converter · Surveying file format converter · Batch coordinate file converter