Introduction and Overview to

Geographic Information Systems

(GISs)

Hari Krishna Dhonju

GIS/RS Development Specialist
MSc in Geoinformatics
Bachelor in Civil Engineering
Saturday, June 2, 2018

Computer Engineering
Department
Affiliated to Purbanchal University
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Contents

Definition
Importance
Application and Components
Spatial and non-spatial data
Spatial data handling

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What is GIS?
G stands for geographic, so we know that GIS has
something to do with geography.
I stands for information, so we know that GIS has
something to do with information, namely geographic
information.
S stands for system, so we know that GIS is an integrated
system of geography and information tied together.
Most people agree that over 80% of the information
related
to government operations have a geographic component.
Therefore, a system that integrates this information
3 together is quite valuable. We shall see how a geographic
information system tied geography and information
together….
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What is GIS?
 An acronym for
 Geographic Information System (common term)
 Geographical Information System
 Geographic Information Science (academia)
 Geographic
 real world features or objects that can be referenced to a
specific location in space
 Information
 specific characteristics, descriptions or properties of real
world features
 System
4  Integrated and collaborative combination of hardware,
software, analysis and presentation methods as well
as user communities
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And …
A Computer system for
– Collecting
– Storing
– Manipulating
– Analyzing
– Displaying
– Querying and
– Disseminating
Geographically related information
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Importance

Quick and easy access to large volumes of spatial

data
The ability to:
– Select detail by area or theme
– Link or merge one dataset with another
– Analyze spatial characteristics of data
– Search for particular characteristics or features in an area
– Update data quickly and cheaply
– Model data and assess alternatives

7 Output capabilities tailored to meet particular

needs

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 Applications

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 Applications …

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 Applications …

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Applications …
 People / User Communities
 Urban Planning
 Agriculture sector
 Archaeology
 Environment sector
 Military and defense
 Security sector
 Emergency management sector
 Transportation
 Telecommunication
 Energy sector
 Forest and natural resources
 Geology
 Ecology and conservation
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 Education
 Health
 Many more …
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Components
 Hardware
 Computers, printers/plotters,
scanners, network, digital tablets
GPS, Internet, etc
 Software
 ArcView, ArcGIS/ArcINFO, GRASS,
MapINFO, ERDAS, IDRISI, ILWIS,
PCI Geomatics, SocetSet
 Data
 Spatial and non-spatial data
 Methods
 Methods for analysis, niterpretao
ti and n
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presentation
 People
 to carry out various management
andanalysis tasks
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Spatial and non-spatial data

Basically GIS can answer questions related to

– Location
– Condition
– Trends
– Patterns
– Modelling
– Spatial and non-spatial

Spatial question
– What is the shortest route from point A to point B?

13 Non-spatial question
– What is the average income rate of the population of
different wards in a municipality?
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Spatial data and non-spatial data …

The term “Spatial”

 anything that occupies a space or has a position in space

 position in space is represented generally in 3 dimensional

coordinates viz. X,Y and Z in terms of relative or absolute

reference system

 there exists another dimension “the time dimension”

The term “Information”

 Information about the surface, subsurface and atmosphere of the

earth
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 Interpretation and explanation applied to such data

 Capability to understand such information

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Spatial data and non-spatial data …

 In GIS, we call geographic data as GIS data or
spatial or geospatial data
 Geospatial data tells you where it is and attribute
data tells you what it is. Metadata describes both
geospatial and attribute data.
 Attributed data => non-spatial

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Spatial and non-spatial data …

 Traditionally geographic data is/are represented in paper
based maps
– Topographic map
– Tourist map
– Geology map
– City map
– … etc

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Spatial data handling

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Spatial data handling …
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Spatial data handling …

 Desktop, which supports enhanced professional
productivity
 Multipurpose and database systems with many clients
accessing, updating, and using them and
 Distributed and shared web services
 Internet/web GIS
 Mobile GIS
 Cloud based GI Services

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Spatial data handling …
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Questions?

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