diff --git a/cfgrib/dataset.py b/cfgrib/dataset.py
index e213a728..ade27744 100644
--- a/cfgrib/dataset.py
+++ b/cfgrib/dataset.py
@@ -414,6 +414,9 @@ def build_geography_coordinates(
             data=np.array(first["distinctLongitudes"], ndmin=1),
             attributes=COORD_ATTRS["longitude"],
         )
+        # latitude and longitude are dimension coordinates
+        geo_coord_vars["latitude"].attributes["axis"] = "Y"
+        geo_coord_vars["longitude"].attributes["axis"] = "X"
     elif "geography" in encode_cf and grid_type in GRID_TYPES_2D_NON_DIMENSION_COORDS:
         geo_dims = ("y", "x")
         geo_shape = (first["Ny"], first["Nx"])