The British Geological Survey (BGS) is a partly publicly funded body which aims to advance geoscientific knowledge of the United Kingdom landmass and its continental shelf by means of systematic surveying, monitoring and research.

[4] On 1 January 1984, the institute was renamed the British Geological Survey (and often referred to as the BGS), a name still carried today.

[8] The BGS advises the British government on all aspects of geoscience, as well as providing impartial advice on geological matters to the public, academics and industry.

The core outputs of the BGS include geological, geophysical, geochemical and hydrogeological maps, descriptions and related digital databases.

[9] One of the key strategic aims for the next decade is to complete the transition from 2-D mapping to a 3-D modelling, to understand the 'architecture' of the subsurface.