What is a Geographic Information System? Geographic Information System = GIS
What is a GIS?
Maps
What is a map? “A graphic depiction of all or part of a geographic realm in which the real- world features have been replaced by symbols in their correct spatial location at a reduced scale.” power line
From Map to GIS
Progression Map Web maps/ Web GIS GIS (local software)
Comparison Paper Map Web Map/ Web GIS GIS Software Display Data Display at multiple scales Query map features Display tabular or graphic data associated with map features Complex, on the fly queries
Map Web Map GIS A map is static, a GIS is dynamic A map has a single scale, a GIS is infinately scaleable A map shows spatial relationships, while a GIS shows both spatial relationships and tabular data