diff --git a/contrib/earthdistance/expected/earthdistance.out b/contrib/earthdistance/expected/earthdistance.out
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..722299689e461f009b5da265ba2633636e89e96b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/earthdistance/expected/earthdistance.out
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+--
+--  Test earth distance functions
+--
+--
+-- first, define the datatype.  Turn off echoing so that expected file
+-- does not depend on contents of earthdistance.sql or cube.sql.
+--
+\set ECHO none
+--
+-- Test getting the distance between two points using geo_distance.
+--
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+      0.00000
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(180,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+  12436.77274
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,90)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+   6218.38637
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(90,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+   6218.38637
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(1,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,30)'::point,'(1,30)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     59.83626
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,30)'::point,'(0,31)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,60)'::point,'(1,60)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     34.54626
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(0,60)'::point,'(0,61)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+     69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select geo_distance('(87.6,41.8)'::point,'(106.7,35.1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ geo_distance 
+--------------
+   1129.18983
+(1 row)
+
+select (geo_distance('(87.6,41.8)'::point,'(106.7,35.1)'::point)*5280.*12.*2.54/100.)::numeric(20,5);
+    numeric    
+---------------
+ 1817254.87730
+(1 row)
+
+--
+-- Test getting the distance between two points using the <@> operator.
+--
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric 
+---------
+ 0.00000
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(180,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+   numeric   
+-------------
+ 12436.77274
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,90)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+  numeric   
+------------
+ 6218.38637
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(90,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+  numeric   
+------------
+ 6218.38637
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(1,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,30)'::point <@> '(1,30)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 59.83626
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,30)'::point <@> '(0,31)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,60)'::point <@> '(1,60)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 34.54626
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(0,60)'::point <@> '(0,61)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+ numeric  
+----------
+ 69.09318
+(1 row)
+
+select ('(87.6,41.8)'::point <@> '(106.7,35.1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+  numeric   
+------------
+ 1129.18983
+(1 row)
+
+select (('(87.6,41.8)'::point <@> '(106.7,35.1)'::point)*5280.*12.*2.54/100.)::numeric(20,5);
+    numeric    
+---------------
+ 1817254.87730
+(1 row)
+
diff --git a/contrib/earthdistance/sql/earthdistance.sql b/contrib/earthdistance/sql/earthdistance.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..d536bc82343869cb0a941c1553f67d51fab1f704
--- /dev/null
+++ b/contrib/earthdistance/sql/earthdistance.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,300 @@
+--
+--  Test earth distance functions
+--
+
+--
+-- first, define the datatype.  Turn off echoing so that expected file
+-- does not depend on contents of earthdistance.sql or cube.sql.
+--
+\set ECHO none
+\i ../cube/cube.sql
+\i earthdistance.sql
+\set ECHO all
+
+--
+-- The radius of the Earth we are using.
+--
+
+select earth()::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Convert straight line distances to great circle distances.
+--
+select (pi()*earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(0)::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(2*earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(10*earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(-earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(1000)::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(10000)::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(100000)::numeric(20,5);
+select sec_to_gc(1000000)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Convert great circle distances to straight line distances.
+--
+
+select gc_to_sec(0)::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(sec_to_gc(2*earth()))::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(10*earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(pi()*earth())::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(-1000)::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(1000)::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(10000)::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(100000)::numeric(20,5);
+select gc_to_sec(1000000)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Set coordinates using latitude and longitude.
+-- Extract each coordinate separately so we can round them.
+--
+
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,0),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,0),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,0),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(360,360),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(360,360),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(360,360),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,180),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,180),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,180),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,360),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,360),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(180,360),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-180,-360),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-180,-360),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-180,-360),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,180),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,180),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,180),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,-180),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,-180),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(0,-180),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,0),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,0),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,0),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,180),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,180),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(90,180),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,0),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,0),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,0),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,180),1)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,180),2)::numeric(20,5),
+ cube_ll_coord(ll_to_earth(-90,180),3)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Test getting the latitude of a location.
+--
+
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(0,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(45,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(90,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-45,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-90,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(0,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(45,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(90,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-45,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-90,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(0,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(45,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(90,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-45,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-90,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(0,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(45,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(90,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-45,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select latitude(ll_to_earth(-90,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+
+--
+-- Test getting the longitude of a location.
+--
+
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(0,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(45,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(90,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-45,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-90,0))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(0,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(45,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(90,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-45,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-90,90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(0,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(45,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(90,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-45,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-90,180))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(0,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(45,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(90,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-45,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+select longitude(ll_to_earth(-90,-90))::numeric(20,10);
+
+--
+-- For the distance tests the following is some real life data.
+--
+-- Chicago has a latitude of 41.8 and a longitude of 87.6.
+-- Albuquerque has a latitude of 35.1 and a longitude of 106.7.
+-- (Note that latitude and longitude are specified differently
+-- in the cube based functions than for the point based functions.)
+--
+
+--
+-- Test getting the distance between two points using earth_distance.
+--
+
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,180))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(90,0))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,90))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,1))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(1,0))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(30,0),ll_to_earth(30,1))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(30,0),ll_to_earth(31,0))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(60,0),ll_to_earth(60,1))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(60,0),ll_to_earth(61,0))::numeric(20,5);
+select earth_distance(ll_to_earth(41.8,87.6),ll_to_earth(35.1,106.7))::numeric(20,5);
+select (earth_distance(ll_to_earth(41.8,87.6),ll_to_earth(35.1,106.7))*
+      100./2.54/12./5280.)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Test getting the distance between two points using geo_distance.
+--
+
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(180,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,90)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(90,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(1,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,0)'::point,'(0,1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,30)'::point,'(1,30)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,30)'::point,'(0,31)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,60)'::point,'(1,60)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(0,60)'::point,'(0,61)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select geo_distance('(87.6,41.8)'::point,'(106.7,35.1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select (geo_distance('(87.6,41.8)'::point,'(106.7,35.1)'::point)*5280.*12.*2.54/100.)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Test getting the distance between two points using the <@> operator.
+--
+
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(180,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,90)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(90,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(1,0)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,0)'::point <@> '(0,1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,30)'::point <@> '(1,30)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,30)'::point <@> '(0,31)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,60)'::point <@> '(1,60)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(0,60)'::point <@> '(0,61)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select ('(87.6,41.8)'::point <@> '(106.7,35.1)'::point)::numeric(20,5);
+select (('(87.6,41.8)'::point <@> '(106.7,35.1)'::point)*5280.*12.*2.54/100.)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Test getting a bounding box around points.
+--
+
+select cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),3)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),112000),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),3)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),pi()*earth()),3)::numeric(20,5);
+select cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ll_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),3)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),1)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),2)::numeric(20,5),
+       cube_ur_coord(earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),10*earth()),3)::numeric(20,5);
+
+--
+-- Test for points that should be in bounding boxes.
+--
+
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,1))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,1);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.1))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.1);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.01))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.01);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.001))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.0001))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0.0001,0.0001))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(0.0001,0.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(45,45),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(45,45),ll_to_earth(45.0001,45.0001))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(45.0001,45.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(90,180),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(90,180),ll_to_earth(90.0001,180.0001))*1.00001) @
+       ll_to_earth(90.0001,180.0001);
+
+--
+-- Test for points that shouldn't be in bounding boxes. Note that we need
+-- to make points way outside, since some points close may be in the box
+-- but further away than the distance we are testing.
+--
+
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,1))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,1);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.1))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.1);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.01))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.01);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.001))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0,0.0001))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0,0.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(0,0),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0),ll_to_earth(0.0001,0.0001))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(0.0001,0.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(45,45),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(45,45),ll_to_earth(45.0001,45.0001))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(45.0001,45.0001);
+select earth_box(ll_to_earth(90,180),
+       earth_distance(ll_to_earth(90,180),ll_to_earth(90.0001,180.0001))*.57735) @
+       ll_to_earth(90.0001,180.0001);
+
+--
+-- Test the recommended constraints.
+--
+
+select is_point(ll_to_earth(0,0));
+select cube_dim(ll_to_earth(0,0)) <= 3;
+select abs(cube_distance(ll_to_earth(0,0), '(0)'::cube) / earth() - 1) <
+       '10e-12'::float8;
+select is_point(ll_to_earth(30,60));
+select cube_dim(ll_to_earth(30,60)) <= 3;
+select abs(cube_distance(ll_to_earth(30,60), '(0)'::cube) / earth() - 1) <
+       '10e-12'::float8;
+select is_point(ll_to_earth(60,90));
+select cube_dim(ll_to_earth(60,90)) <= 3;
+select abs(cube_distance(ll_to_earth(60,90), '(0)'::cube) / earth() - 1) <
+       '10e-12'::float8;
+select is_point(ll_to_earth(-30,-90));
+select cube_dim(ll_to_earth(-30,-90)) <= 3;
+select abs(cube_distance(ll_to_earth(-30,-90), '(0)'::cube) / earth() - 1) <
+       '10e-12'::float8;
+)