ISO 6709:2008适用于描述地理点位置的坐标交换。它指定了数据交换中使用的坐标表示，包括纬度和经度。它还使用纬度和经度以外的坐标类型指定水平点位置的表示。它还指定可以与水平坐标关联的高度和深度的表示。表示包括度量单位和坐标顺序。 ISO 6709:2008不适用于在处理过程中以及在大地测量代码和参数寄存器中使用的计算机内存中保存的信息的表示。 ISO 6709:2008通过可扩展标记语言（XML）支持点位置表示，并且认识到需要与本国际标准的早期版本ISO 6709:1983兼容，允许使用单个字母数字字符串来描述点位置。 对于经纬度的计算机数据交换，ISO 6709:2008通常建议使用十进制度数。它允许使用六进制符号:度、分和十进制分或度、分、秒和十进制秒。 ISO 6709:2008不要求在实施过程中使用特殊的内部程序、文件组织技术、存储介质、语言等。

ISO 6709:2008 is applicable to the interchange of coordinates describing geographic point location. It specifies the representation of coordinates, including latitude and longitude, to be used in data interchange. It additionally specifies representation of horizontal point location using coordinate types other than latitude and longitude. It also specifies the representation of height and depth that can be associated with horizontal coordinates. Representation includes units of measure and coordinate order. ISO 6709:2008 is not applicable to the representation of information held within computer memories during processing and in their use in registers of geodetic codes and parameters. ISO 6709:2008 supports point location representation through the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) and, recognizing the need for compatibility with the previous version of this International Standard, ISO 6709:1983, allows for the use of a single alpha-numeric string to describe point locations. For computer data interchange of latitude and longitude, ISO 6709:2008 generally suggests that decimal degrees be used. It allows the use of sexagesimal notations: degrees, minutes and decimal minutes or degrees, minutes, seconds and decimal seconds. ISO 6709:2008 does not require special internal procedures, file-organization techniques, storage medium, languages, etc., to be used in its implementation.