diff --git a/include/mapnik/ellipsoid.hpp b/include/mapnik/ellipsoid.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..96920cdaa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/mapnik/ellipsoid.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/*****************************************************************************
+ * 
+ * This file is part of Mapnik (c++ mapping toolkit)
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2006 Artem Pavlenko
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ *
+ *****************************************************************************/
+
+//$Id$
+
+namespace mapnik {
+    struct ellipsoid
+    {
+        double a; // semi mayor axis  
+        double b; // semi minor axis
+    };
+}