Fundamentals of GIS and thematic

application
 What is a GIS?
◼ “…a computer system capable of assembling, storing,
manipulating, and displaying geographically referenced
information…”

◼ “A smart map. A combination of a graphic display and a

database. The map and the database are intimately linked so
when you click on the map, the information about that point is
highlighted on the screen.”

◼ “A system of hardware, software, and procedures designed to

support, capture, manage, manipulate, analyze, model, and
display spatially referenced data for solving complex planning
and management problems.”
 Information System

◼ An information system is established to achieve the objectives

of collecting, storing, analyzing, and presenting information in
a systematic manner

◼ The term geographic, which implies a spatial component to the

system, are also characterized with two additional crucial
properties
• The reference to geographic space, which means the data are registered
to a geographical coordinate system
• The representation at geographic scale, which means the data are
normally recorded at small scales and may be generalized and
symbolized.
 GIS Concepts

◼ Represent the real world by processing data and

applying it in map form

◼ Allows geographic features in real world locations to

be digitally represented so they can be presented in
map form and manipulated to address some problem
 GIS Concepts

◼ A GIS stores the locations of geographic features as geometric

entities

◼ The geographic features (geometric entities) are linked to a

database

◼ Information about various entities can be obtained by selecting

them or various analyses can be run on the entities
 GIS Concepts

◼ A GIS allows a user

to overlay a series of
layers, each of which
represents some real-
world feature, to
digitally view any
given area.
 Why GIS?

◼ Space is a limited and interrelated commodity

◼ Information can be easily shared between different groups
◼ Complex information can be presented in a variety of formats
that are easily read by an audience
◼ Return investment on data; data can be applied for other
purposes
◼ Improved decision making
 Thinking About Geography

◼ “Almost everything that happens, happens

somewhere. Knowing where something happens is
critically important” – Paul A. Longley
◼ Almost all human activities and decisions involve a
geographic component
◼ Many are not aware of the importance geography is
to our daily lives
• Describe how to get to the nearest police post from campus.
• Describe how to get to the hospital from here.
• How do I get around campus.
Internet Map Routing
 Thinking About Geography

◼ Geography is also very important in decision making

• Health care managers use geography when they decide
where to put new hospitals and clinics
• Marketing operations to find best location for a new store
• Delivery companies need to decide routes
• Transportation officials need to select new roads
• Forestry companies need to manage forests: where to cut,
where to locate roads, where to plant trees
• Governments need to decide on fund allocation
• Farmers need to decide where to apply fertilizers and
pesticides
 Defining What People Know

◼ Information systems make it easy to help people manage what

they know
◼ A variety of terms are used to indicate some idea of what we
know
• Data
• Information
• Evidence
• Knowledge
• Wisdom
 Advancements in Cartography
◼ Increase in developmental societies led to the need
for newer and better maps (i.e., building of roads,
railroads, and canals required the locations of towns,
lakes, etc., to be accurately known.

◼ Advances in mapmaking led to utilization of maps in

various ways. One of these ways was to overlay a
series of maps to show a large amount of information
on a single display.
 Advancements in Cartography
◼ In the 18th Century, there is a rapid expansion
of thematic mapping

◼ Various layers of spatial data on a series of

similar base maps
 Advancements in Cartography
◼ 18th Century maps of the Battle of Yorktown,
drawn by French cartographer Louis-
Alexandre Berthier contained hinged overlays
to show troop movement.
 Advancements in Cartography
◼ First manual GIS developed during construction of
Irish railway (1850s). A series of maps were
compiled that showed information on population
density, geology, and political boundaries.

◼ Considered first manual GIS because it involved the

simultaneous use of a series of maps to solve a spatial
problem.
 Advancements in Cartography
◼ John Snow
• Geography / Statistics /
Epidemiology
• Mapped cholera outbreaks
in London in 1854
• Used spatial analysis to
identify source of cholera
as the water pump in the
city square.
 The 20th Century
◼ It was the field of planning that first began to exploit
thematic maps by extracting data from one map to
another
◼ In Dusseldorf, Germany (1912), several time periods
were mapped for the city and time-series change
overlays were constructed
◼ In Billerica, Massachusetts (1912), overlays of land
use and traffic circulation were constructed
 The 20th Century
◼ During the First World War (1914-1918), the value of
complete aerial photographic reconnaissance is
recognized by both sides
◼ Germany acquires nearly 4000 photos a day as part of
the planning for their last great offensive (1918), and
the US Army has made over one million prints during
the last four months of the war
 Advancement of GIS
◼ Cheaper & smaller computers
• GIS packages improved as computer power and storage
capabilities  and price 
◼ Inexpensive data (Census & USGS)
◼ User network
• Development of books, journals, magazines, conferences,
organizations
◼ Merging with parallel technologies (GPS, PDA, Internet)
 Advancement of GIS
◼ Converging GIS with
surveying, remote sensing,
GPS, mobile computing,
etc.
◼ Results
• Simpler
• More users
• Cheaper
• Used by many disciplines
 Applications of a GIS
◼ Operational
• Managing facilities and assets
◼ Utilities
◼ Waste management
◼ Property management
◼ Real estate
Marketing of residential real estate in the UK (Source: www.nestoria.co.uk)
http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/ireland/
 Applications of a GIS
◼ Management
• Distributing resources to gain a competitive
advantage
◼ Retail
◼ Telecommunications
Percentage Internet Usage as of 2008
 Applications of a GIS
◼ Strategic
• Creation and implementation of an organizations
business plan
◼ Retail
◼ Government
◼ Law Enforcement
 Applications of a GIS
◼ Political Science ◼ Health care
• Analysis of election results • Epidemiology
• Predictive Modeling • Needs Analysis
◼ Real Estate ◼ Education
• Neighborhood Land Prices Administration
• Traffic Impact Analysis • Enrollment Projections
◼ Business • School Bus Routing
• Demographic Analysis
• Site Selection
• Market penetration
 Applications of a GIS
◼ Urban Planning And ◼ Environmental
Management Science
• Zoning, Subdivision • Monitoring environmental
Planning risks
• Economic Development • Management of
watersheds, floodplains,
• Emergency Response wetlands, aquifers
• Code Enforcement • Groundwater modeling and
• Tax Assesment contamination tracking
• Hazardous or toxic facility
siting
Mapping roadside
hazards and
prediction of
infrastructure failure
after natural
disaster.
Peri-urban evolution in Yaounde from 2016-
2018
The dynamism of peri-urban transport in
Yaounde
The varying prices of peri-urban land in
Yaounde
MNT DE DSCHANG

Pinelands State Boundary

Pinelands National Reserve
o Aerial photography
o Satellite images 2D ou 3D
 Remember……
◼ GIS leads to better decision making!
Retour de migrants
De la Libye vers Agades (Niger)

Photos : Julien Brachet (2009)