ON-LINE GEOGRAPHICAL DIRECTORY

A method is provided for categorizing businesses, organizations and individuals in order to facilitate geographically-based searching over the Internet. The method includes entering in a database the names of businesses, organizations and/or individuals, for each name entry registering a geographical location identifier, the geographical location identifier indicating the precise geographical location at which the corresponding business, organization or individual is located, for each name entry registering further information such as contact details and a description of the goods or services offered by the business, organization or individual, and for at least some of the name entries adding credential information in respect of the business, organization or individual, or the goods or services offered by the business, organization or individual. A user interrogates the database by nominating a catchment area by reference to one or more geographical points to identify name entries within the catchment area nominated by the user.