Topic1 GIS Fundamentals

Project for the Strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructures in
Member States and Territories of the Association of Caribbean States
Capacity Building Program
Geographic Information Systems

Dr Earl Edwards
Ms. Valrie Grant, MSc.
Topic 1:
GIS Fundamentals
Topic Outline
• What is a GIS?
• Components of a GIS
• Functions of a GIS
• Data Models used in GIS
• Components of Spatial Data
• GIS Software
• The GIS Process
“…..everything that happens, happens somewhere.
Knowing ‘what’ is ‘where’ and ‘why’ it is there, can be
critically important for decision making. GIS is the
technology as well as science to help answer these types
of questions and for making intelligent decisions based on
space and location…. “
Pinde Fu and Jiulin Sun
What is GIS?
What is GIS?
• Is it mapping???
What is GIS?
• What’s the GI?

Geographic/Geospatial
Information
– information about places on the
earth’s surface
– knowledge about “what is
located where”
What is GIS?
• …four main perspectives of the trailing “S”
Geographic Information System
Maps + Database = GIS

What is a GIS ?
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is an organized collection of

computer hardware, software, people, data and workflows designed to
efficiently capture, store, query, analyze and display of all forms of spatially
referenced data.
What is GIS?
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a set of tools that

integrate and link various components: hardware, software,
human capital, data and processes; that capture, store,
manage, analyse and model large amounts of
geographically referenced information in order to meet the
needs related to planning and management
UNGGIM: Americas
What is GIS?
Digital
Mapping
Computer
Aided Photo-
Design grammetry
GIS
Databases Surveying
Remote
Sensing
Cross-disciplinary nature of GIS

Components of a GIS
• People: users
• Software: desktop
clients, web browsers
• Data: spatial features
• Procedures:
workflows
• Hardware: servers,
workstations, plotters
• Network: intranet,
internet
Functions of a GIS
Storing Data
SINGLE- MULTI-
USER USER
GDB GDB
File GDB Enterprise GDB

Workgroup
Personal GDB
GDB
Desktop GDB
GEODATABASE (GDB)
Query
• Identifying specific features
• Identifying features based

on conditions
Trinidad Constituencies with an
electorate greater than 28,000
Analysis
Which parcels are
within 50 feet of the road?
Proximity
Well type Drilled

Building owner Smith
Soil type Sandy
Overlay
Network
Display
Maps
Graphs
Reports
Output
Paper map Internet
GIS
Data
Image Document
Trinidad.jpg Trinidad.mxd
GIS DATA
• A GIS comprises traditional data found on a map
and more…
• it utilizes two basic types of data:
• Spatial data: • Attribute data:

– describes the absolute – describes the
or relative location of characteristics of the
geographic features spatial features
– Quantitative or qualitative
– Also referred to as tabular
data (or Aspatial)
Example
The boundary lines of a parcel would be its spatial data
The characteristics of that parcel: eg. ID, Owner, area,

perimeter, address, value, would be attribute data!
Linking Spatial and Attribute Data
Spatial data Attribute data

• specifies location • specifies characteristics
• stored in a geodatabase (what, how much, when)
or similar GIS file • stored in a database table
The two are ‘Linked’ using relational

database tables
Linking Geometry (spatial) and
Attributes
• Geospatial data (features) are stored in tables
• Each feature has a record (row) in the table

– A unique identifier links feature and attributes
FID = 4103
(Feature IDentifier)
Land Information System
Components of spatial data
• Spatial data can be described in terms of:
– geometry, location, and topology OR shape, place and
relationship to other spatial data
Geometry Attributes
Behavior
Connectivity
Relationships
Representing Reality:
The GIS Data Model
• The real world is broken up into its constituent parts and organized into
spatially referenced layers or themes, with each layer representing a common
feature.
• A spatial reference system becomes critical for ensuring accurate feature
overlaying
The GIS Data Model:
Purpose
Allows the geospatial features in real world locations

to be digitally represented and stored in a database so
that they can be abstractly presented in map form, and
can also be worked with and manipulated to address
some problem.
Raster vs. Vector Representation
Raster vs. Vector Representation
VECTOR MODEL
• The fundamental concept of vector GIS is that all geospatial
features in the real world can be represented either as:
– Points (nodes): trees, poles, fire plugs, airports, cities
– lines (arcs): streams, streets, sewers,
– polygons (areas): land parcels, cities, counties, forest, rock type
• Vector model is best used to represent features with discrete

boundaries (roads, buildings, lakes, rivers, administrative
boundaries)
• This model tells “where everything occurs”, i.e., it gives

location to every object.
Representing features in vector data
• Real-world entities are abstracted into three geometric shapes:
– Point
– Line
– Polygon POLYGON POINT LINE
• Each feature type is

stored in a separate
shapefile or feature
class.
• Each feature class
contains a table in
which each row is a
record representing
one of the spatial
features in the file.
• (an exception to the above exists where one row represents
multiple features, referred to as multipart features.)
Impact of Scale on Vector Models
Raster Data Model
• Area is covered by grid with (usually) equal-sized cells;
– Cells often called pixels (picture elements).
– Origin is set explicitly.
– Cell size is always known.
– Cell references (row/column)
are known.
– Cell values are referenced to
row/column location.
• Values represent numerical
phenomena or index codes
for non-numerical phenomena.
Raster Data Model
• Advantages of raster over vector
– Simpler data model
– Faster processing and display
– Additional analytic tools
– Better for unbounded phenomena Real world
(like soil pH and elevation)
• Disadvantages of raster As vector

– Generalization
– Loss of feature uniqueness
As raster
Raster Data Model
• Attributes are recorded by assigning each cell a single
value
• Raster data are good at representing continuous
phenomena, e.g.,
– Wind speed
– Elevation, slope, aspect
– Chemical concentration
– Likelihood of existence
of a certain species
Raster types based on cell values
• In terms of the cell values, rasters can be divided into three types:
– Image
– Interpolated and,
– Thematic
• Image rasters have values (Digital Number, DN) that represent
measurements of energy (electromagnetic reflections) as captured by a
sensor (camera)
• These image raster cell values are usually whole numbers (integers).
Raster types based on cell values
• Thematic rasters have cell values that represent a particular theme,
category/code or class (nominal or ordinal data).
• Cell values in Interpolated rasters usually represent measurements
such as elevation, precipitation, soil pH, etc. These values are usually
interval or ratio data.
Cell Value 1= Gentle slope
Cell Value 5= Steep slope
Modelling the Real World
• Objects in the real world

are digitally represented
then stored in a
database.
• Either a vector or raster
data model can be used.
• It is common to use both
data models to represent
different features over a
selected project area.
Data Modelling Steps
• Step 1 - Identify possible features from the real world
(this example uses the vector data model)
– Buildings
– Road centrelines
– Utility poles
– Water lines
– Manholes
– Road surfaces
• Step 2 - Select a method for representing the feature in
the GIS
Point
Line
Polygon
• Step 3 - Use the selected method to represent the
feature in the GIS
Feature : Building
Shape: Polygon
• Step 4 - Identify appropriate attributes for the feature
ID : 345876
Name : Some Store
Address : 5 Market Place
Town : Some Town
Owner : Ms J Shore
Tel. No : 868 555 1234
Floor space : 1300 sq m
Commercial GIS Software (COTS)
Opensource GIS Software (FOSS)
Factors to Consider
• Budget
• Functionality
• Maintenance
• Technical Support
• Training
• Existing infrastructure
• Community of users
• Datasets
• Customization
Real World Data Sources
Data Input
The GIS Process
Geospatial Information processing begins and
ends with the real world
Users
Data Management
Analysis
Source: Aronoff (1991)
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Project for the Strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructures in

Member States and Territories of the Association of Caribbean States

Capacity Building Program

Geographic Information Systems

• What’s the GI?

Maps + Database = GIS

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is an organized collection of

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a set of tools that

Cross-disciplinary nature of GIS

File GDB Enterprise GDB

• Identifying features based

Well type Drilled

• Spatial data: • Attribute data:

The characteristics of that parcel: eg. ID, Owner, area,

Spatial data Attribute data

The two are ‘Linked’ using relational

• Each feature has a record (row) in the table

Allows the geospatial features in real world locations

• Vector model is best used to represent features with discrete

• This model tells “where everything occurs”, i.e., it gives

• Each feature type is

• Disadvantages of raster As vector

• Objects in the real world

Activity : Manipulating Geospatial Data in

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