Introduction to

GEOGRAPHIC
INFORMATION
SYSTEM
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR.
Environmental Remote Sensing and Geo-Information Laboratory
Institute of Renewable Natural Resources | College of Forestry and Natural Resources
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES LOS BANOS

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 GEOGRAPHIC
refers to the Earth’s surface and near-surface

INFORMATION are data serving some purpose or data that have

been given some degree of interpretation

SYSTEM
is a collection of elements or components that are
organized for a common purpose

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

GEOGRAPHICINFORMATION SYSTEM
• a system of hardware, software
and procedure to facilitate the
GIS
management, manipulation,
analysis, modelling,
representation and display of
geo-referenced data to solve
complex problems regarding
planning and management of
resources

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 Questions a GIS can Answer
Location… What is at…?
find out what exists at a particular location
Condition… Where is it…?
find locations where certain conditions are satisfied

Trends… What has changed since…?

find differences within an area over time

Patterns… What spatial patterns exist…?

know how many anomalies there are that don’t fit the
pattern and where they are located
Modeling… What if…?
questions are posed to determine what happens

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 GISCIENCE
• involves the identification and study of issues
relating to the use of GIS, those that affect its
implementation and those that arise from its
application
• not only encourages users to understand the
benefits of GIS but also to view technology as
part of a broader discipline that promotes
geographic thinking, offers alternatives for better
decisions and provides strategies that are useful
to the society

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Components of GIS
people

software GIS methods &

procedures

data
hardware
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 1. Hardware
• refers to computer
component that form the
physical framework on
which the system
operates
• categorized into input
devices, storage devices,
processor and output
devices

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 2. Software
• refers to various
computer programs that
provide the functions and
tools needed to store,
analyse and display
geographic information
• ArcGIS, QGIS and IDRISI
(TerrSet) are some of the
most popular GIS
software
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 3. Data
• refer to spatially-
referenced dataset
typically composed
of two types -
geometric data and
attribute data
• there are also two
kinds of data
structures - vector
and raster
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 4. Methods and Procedures
• refer to the well-designed
plans or management
frameworks that are followed
in the operation of GIS
• these models and operating
practices are also unique
and are mainly based on the
objectives set by different
organizations

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 5. People
• involve various tasks such
as data input, database
management, modeling and
analysis, output production
or system administration
• should have
understandings on the
rudiment concepts,
principles and applications
of GIS

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Human resources can be categorized as:
• Operational staff (end user,
cartographer, data capturer
and potential users)
• Technical professional staff
(analyst, system
administrator, programmer
and database administrator)
• Management personnel
(manage and quality
assurance coordinator)

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 DATA TYPES

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 ADVANTAGES of DIGITAL vs. ANALOGUE
DIGITIAL ANALOGUE

Easy update Whole map to be made

Easy and quick transfer (e.g.

Slow transfer (e.g. post)
internet)
Storage space required is relatively Large storage space required (e.g.
small (e.g. digital devices) traditional map libraries)

Easy to maintain Paper maps disintegrate over time

Difficult and inaccurate to analyze

Easy automated analysis
(e.g. to measure area and distance)

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 • geometric represents
the spatial component
of a geographic feature
(e.g shape and
position)
• are two or three
dimensional
coordinates which
define spatial
distribution of points,
lines and areas
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 • attribute describes the
properties of a feature
(e.g color, size,
information)
• descriptive
information about the
spatial data

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 attribute
geometric

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 DATA
STRUCTURES

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Vector Structure
• Vector data
structures are
represented by
vector or
polygon data
that use a series
of points (x,y
coordinates)

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Points Polylines

Points of Interest Road Network

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Polygon Vector

Administrative
Boundary

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Raster Structure
• Raster are represented in a grid or pixel
that is referenced to some coordinate
system

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Vector Raster

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 5km x 5km 10km x 10km

Raster
CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 ADVANTAGES of RASTER vs. VECTOR
RASTER VECTOR

Simple data structure Compact data structure

Easy and efficient overlaying Efficient for network analysis

Efficient projection and

Compatible with RS imagery
transformation
High spatial variability is efficiently
Accurate map output
represented

Simple programming -

Same grid cells for several attributes -

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 RASTER

VECTOR

REAL WORLD

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 TYPES OF
ATTRIBUTEDATA

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

1. Nominal
๏ these values
describe features by
name or type and are
often used for
categorical attributes

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

2. Ordinal
๏ describes attribute
values that are
ordered from high to
low

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

3. Interval
๏ with an interval
scale, the difference
between each value
on the scale is the
same

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

4. Ratio
๏ an interval scale that
has an absolute and
meaningful zero

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 PRINCIPAL
FUNCTIONS
OF GIS

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 1. DataCapture
๏ data come from many types
and are stored in different
ways
๏ GIS provides tools and
methods for the integration of
different data into a format to
be compared and analyzed

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 2. DatabaseManagement and Update
๏ after data are collected and
integrated, the GIS must provide
facilities, which can store and maintain
data
๏ effective data management has many
definitions but should include all of the
following aspects: data security, data
integrity, data storage and retrieval,
and data maintenance abilities

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 3. GeographicAnalysis
๏ data integration and conversion is only
a part of the input phase of GIS
๏ what is required next is the ability to
interpret and to analyze the collected
information quantitatively and
qualitatively
๏ geographical analyses are subdivided
into the following categories:

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Database Query
• selective display and retrieval of
information from a database are
among the fundamental
requirements of GIS

Grassland AND

[Moderate Erosion OR Severe Erosion]

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

EXAMPLE:
Land cover is Grassland,
and Erosion is either
Moderate or Severe

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Map Overlay
• the hallmark of GIS and using these
operations (e.g. raster overlay, vector
overlay, logical and conditional
operators), new spatial spatial
elements are created by the
overlaying of maps

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 Proximity Analysis
• the characteristics of an area
surrounding a specified location are
evaluated. The buffer operation will
generate polygon feature types
irrespective of geographic features
and delineates spatial proximity

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 Network Analysis
• based on interconnecting logical
components such as nodes (define
start, end and intersections), chains
(line features joining nodes), and
links (joining together points making
up a chain)

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM
 Digital Terrain Modeling
• to represent a surface and its
properties accurately and can be
viewed in isoline map (join points of
equal value on a surface) and
isometric model (show the terrain in
perspective)

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 Statistical and Tabular Analysis
• provide summary of attributes

LOW MODERATE HIGH

CLUSTER/TOWN
AREA (Ha) % AREA (Ha) % AREA (Ha) %
Agri-Industrial 7,144.50 6.69 17,155.70 15.15 19,947.22 13.73
Bansud 1,131.18 5.74 2,956.94 15.01 1,802.66 9.15
Bongabong 1,963.67 3.96 4,402.42 8.89 12,334.39 24.90
Gloria 1,409.56 4.31 5,996.13 18.32 4,062.80 12.41
Pinamalayan 2,640.08 12.76 3,800.21 18.37 1,747.37 8.45
Lake Ring 13,475.41 11.06 26,972.45 20.42 16,505.15 13.45
Naujan 7,396.48 14.46 17,119.30 33.46 10,465.38 20.46
Pola 469.84 3.65 758.35 5.89 1,745.61 13.57
Socorro 2,192.21 10.56 3,531.06 17.01 901.24 4.34
Victoria 3,416.88 15.55 5,563.74 25.32 3,392.91 15.44
Regional Industrial Center 1,202.29 6.38 9,929.47 52.73 6,831.95 36.28
Calapan City 1,202.29 6.38 9,929.47 52.73 6,831.95 36.28
Tourism 7,328.09 5.33 8,997.14 5.39 14,202.80 13.34
Baco 1,857.04 7.09 1,813.23 6.92 5,167.60 19.73
Bulalacao 941.47 2.46 1,740.93 4.55 1,849.80 4.83
Mansalay 2,565.27 5.38 3,286.93 6.89 1,533.71 3.21
Puerto Galera 87.76 0.37 220.05 0.92 269.98 1.12
Roxas 1,451.17 15.43 948.66 10.09 4,585.48 48.76
San Teodoro 425.38 1.27 987.35 2.96 796.23 2.39

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

 4. PresentingResults
๏ traditional methods of tabulating and
graphing data can be supplemented
by maps and three dimensional
images
๏ visual communication is one of the
most fascinating aspects of GIS
technology and is available in a
diverse range of output options

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM

2DVISUALIZATION

3DVISUALIZATION

CRISTINO L. TIBURAN JR. INTRODUCTIONTOGEOGRAPHICINFORMATIONSYSTEM