Basic Concepts And Component Of GIS SS1 Geography Lesson Note

A geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of spatial or geographical data.

The acronym GIS is sometimes used for Geographical Information Science or Geospatial Information Studies to refer to the academic discipline or career of working with geographic information systems and is a large domain within the broader academic discipline of Geoinformatics.

In general, GIS describes any information system that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays geographic information. GIS applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries (user-created searches), analyze spatial information, edit data in maps, and present the results of all these operations. Geographic information science is the science underlying geographic concepts, applications, and systems. 

SOURCES OF GEOGRAPHIC DATA

1. Satellite images
2. Existing maps
3. Land survey
4. Socio-economic statistical records
5. Aerial photographs
6. Fieldwork or survey

COMPONENTS OF GIS

Geographic Information System has five key components which are:

1. Hardware e.g keyboard, CPU, mouse, hard disk e.t.c
2. Software e.g Microsoft Word, Corel Draw, Microsoft Excel, computer games e.t.c
3. Data
4. People: these are the people who design and maintain the system and they also develop plans for applying it.
5. Method: A successful GIS operates according to a well-designed plan and business rules.