What is GIS?

GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems. In simple terms, it combines both mapped features with a database of attributes describing these features. Many users use GIS purely to create and display maps, however the true strength of GIS lies in its spatial analysis features......where is something?.......where is something in relation to something else?.......where is the best location?.......etc.

Features can be stored as either raster or vector, and vector layers as either point, line or polygon. Behind each feature is an attribute to describe what the feature is. Within the GIS, features are commonly stored in layers or overlays, with each layer storing a different feature type.

GIS has seen a significant upsurge in recent years as users realise the potential missed from their data. Almost everything exists somewhere on the earth surface, and can therefore be placed on a map. Once on a map, users can then see where this object is in relation to other objects. This has led to a huge wealth of data being made available in GIS format - some must be purchased, other data is freely available or at notional cost. The application areas for GIS are huge and include:

Land applications - who owns what land, where is it and what is it near.
Environment - what is within an affected distance, show measurements with colour coding.
Health - incidence of disease, location of facilities.
Military - vehicle tracking, situation overlays, terrain analysis.
Utilities - where is the network; what connects to what; fault finding and asset management.
Estate Management - what is the space used for, show numbers of workstations colour coded.