This point shapefile includes Global Map data showing cities and towns in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The data are a modified version of the National Atlas of the United States 1:1,000,000-scale cities and towns of the United States; those source data were derived from the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and the U.S. Census Bureau National Places Gazetteer files. Global Map refers to these locations as Built-up Area (point) and defines them as areas containing a concentration of buildings and other structures (smaller than Built-up Area (face)). National Atlas cities or towns are defined as places with a recorded population, usually with at least one central area that provides commercial activities. Cities are generally larger than towns; no distinction is made between cities and towns in this map layer. No attempt has been made to reconcile the Global Map and National Atlas feature definitions. This layer is part of the 1997-2014 edition of the National Atlas of the United States.Global Map data are part of a cooperative effort among national mapping organizations around the world to produce and maintain a standard set of basic cartographic data that supports global investigations of natural and human-built environments. Participating nations prepare data using a common data structure and description to ensure compatibility and to tangibly promote the tenets of the Global Spatial Data Infrastructure. These data are intended for geographic display and analysis at the national level, and for large regional areas. The data should be displayed and analyzed at scales appropriate for 1:1,000,000-scale data. No responsibility is assumed by the National Atlas of the United States in the use of these data.