Program: Geography and Environmental Studies

Course Title
Introduction to GIS

Academic year 2021/2022

Ahmed M.
Msc in Geoinformatics and Rs

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Introduction of GIS
 Literal Definition
 Geographic: relates to the surface of the earth.

implies that locations of the data items are known, or can be

calculated, in terms of geographic coordinates (latitude, longitude).
 Information: is a knowledge derived from study, experience, or
instruction.
 System: is a group of interacting, interrelated, or interdependent
elements forming a complex whole.
 Science: is the observation, identification, description, experimental
investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena.
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 BASIC CONCEPT OF GIS
What does GISc and GIS stand for?
Geographic Information Science

 Is the science concerned with the systematic and automatic processing of

spatial data and information with the help of computers.
 Is the theory behind how to solve spatial problems with computers

 Geographic Information System

  A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer-based tool for

mapping and analyzing.
 Geographic phenomenon that exist, and events that occur, on Earth.

 Is a system designed for storing, analyzing, and displaying spatial data.

   Is the use of hardware, software, people, procedures, and data.

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 Conti……………
There are a number of definitions of GIS. Different groups of people
(general public, planners, teachers, scientists) can find a different
definition useful.

Here are some of them:

  GIS is much more than a container of maps in digital form.

 A GIS is a computerized tool for solving geographic problems.

 GIS is a spatial decision support system.

 GIS is a mechanized inventory of geographically distributed

features and facilities.

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 Conti……………
 GIS is a method for revealing patterns and processes in geographic
information.
 GIS is a tool to automate time-consuming tasks that are too tedious
or expensive or inaccurate if performed by hand.
 GIS is a collection of computer hardware, software, geographic data
personnel and procedures for capturing, managing, analyzing, and
displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.

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Why is GIS unique?
GIS handles SPATIAL information
Information referenced by its location in space

GIS makes connections between graphical feature

(entities) and tabular data

- map + attribute in a single way

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What role does GIS play in Spatial Analysis?
GIS is a tool with unique capabilities:

Can handle geographically-referenced data

Spatial/attribute data entry/update capabilities

Data conversion functions

Storage and organization of a variety of spatial and attribute data

Manipulation of spatial and attribute data (encompasses many

different operations)

Presentation/display capabilities

Spatial analysis tools (many tools may be used in combination)

Basic components of GIS
There are six components of GIS
People

 Data
 Software

Hardware

 Procedures/Methods

Networking

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Basic component of GIS
1. People  

 Are the most important part of a GIS

 GIS technology is limited value without the people who manage the

system and develop plans for applying it to real world problems.

 GIS users range from technical specialists who design and maintain the

system to those who use, it to help them perform their everyday work.

 Define and develop the procedures used by a GIS.

 Without the people the remain five components are nothing (data,

software, hardware, procedure and network).

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Conti………….
  2. Data
Also, the most important component of a GIS is the data.

Geographic data and related tabular data can be collected in-house

or purchased from a commercial data provider.

A GIS will integrate spatial data with other data resources and can

even use a DBMS, used by most organizations

 To organize and maintain their data,
 To manage spatial data.

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Conti………….
It is the most expensive components from the others.

Data is the information used within a GIS specialist.

GIS data quality determines by the types of questions and

problems that may be asked of the GIS.

Example:- demographic, census, road data, socioeconomic
data etc.

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Conti………….
3. GIS software
Used to for the input, manipulation, and output of geographic

data
A database management system (DBMS)

Tools for geographic query, analysis, and visualization

A graphical user interface (GUI) for easy access to tools

Tools to document data sources and quality (metadata)

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Conti………….
 It includes not only to the GIS package, but all the software

used for databases, drawings, statistics, and imaging.  

 The functionality of the software used to manage the GIS and

determines the type of problems that the GIS may be used to

solve.
The software used must match the needs and skills of the end

user.

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Conti…………
Popular GIS Software
Vector-based GIS
 ArcGIS (ESRI)
 ArcView
 MapInfo
Raster-based GIS
• Erdas Imagine (Leica)
• ENVI (RSI)
• ILWIS (ITC)
• IDRISI (Clark Univ)

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Conti………….
4. Hardware
 Hardware is the computer on which a GIS operates, including
the resources available to the computer:
Printers

Plotters

Digitizers

Scanners

Monitors

Network

Wide area communications

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Conti………….
 Today, GIS software runs on a wide range of hardware types, from

centralized computer servers to desktop computers used in stand-

alone or networked configurations.
The type of hardware determines, to an extent, the speed at which a

GIS will operate.

 Additionally, it may influence the type of software used.

To a small degree, it may influence the types/ personalities of the

people working with the GIS.

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Examples of hardware

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Conti……………
 5. Procedures/ Methods
The procedures used to input, analyze, and query data determine

the quality and validity of the final product.

A successful GIS operates according to a well-designed plan and

business rules, which are the models and operating practices

unique to each organization.

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Conti……………
The procedures used are the simple steps taken in a well defined and

consistent method to produce correct and reproducible results from

the GIS system.

The methods are the procedure followed to answer the question need

to be resolved.

Method in GIS includes how the data will be accessed, stored,

managed, processed, analyzed, and finally presented as output for

particular application.

Example:- select land suitability of walia ibex

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Conti…
 6. Network
Allows rapid communication and sharing digital information.

The internet has proven very popular as a vehicle for delivering

GIS application.
It is very important for scoring successful result related with your

works.

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Components of GIS integration

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GIS Subsystems
Common element to all GIS

1. Data input/collection subsystem

2. Data management/ storage and retrieval subsystem

3. Data manipulation and analysis subsystem

4. Information reporting and output subsystem

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Purpose and Applications
GIS is develop to:
 maximize the efficiency of planning and decision
making
 Provide efficient means for data distribution and
handling
 Elimination of redundant database
 capacity to integrate information from many sources
 Complex analysis/query

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What kind of question can GIS answer??

1. Location - what is existing at a particular location?

2. Condition - where……satisfying certain conditions?

3. Trends - what has changed at a particular location over

time?

4. Patterns – what are the spatial patterns that exist? EX.

School distribution… certain square km

5. Modeling – What happen if some changes takes place?

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 Application of GIS
Regardless of their purpose
 Traffic and transport planning
 NaRM and conservation
 Service planning
 Recreation planning
 Agriculture and forestry
 Defense and intelligence Environmental
 Geophysical exploration
 Cadastral management
 Construction project etc

Introduction to GPS by Ahmed

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 Capabilities of GIS
There are four major capabilities of GIS
1. Data input
 Capturing all aspect of data and converting into suitable format to be

processed in computer.

Two aspect of data need to be considered

I. Positional or geographical data

II. Associated attribute - relevant data related to the feature.
Time consuming and major block in the implementation of GIS.

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 Capabilities of GIS
2. Data storage and database management
Representing objects on the earths surface consists of elements
such as point, line, polygon/area in a geographic database
computer program.
Data management: includes those functions needed to store and
retrieve data from the data base whenever and wherever
demanded.
Each GIS software system has its own ways.

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 3. Spatial analysis
Data stored must be manipulated, analyzed to produce

useful information that assist decision making.

Some of spatial analysis function:
 Simple database query

 Arithmetic and logical operations

 Complicated model analysis

 Proximity analysis

 Network analysis

Introduction to GPS by Ahmed

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Ex. Database query
- Either click on the feature or use conditional statements
 Two types of GIS operation
1. Boolean (logical) operators – and, or, not, xor ( exclusive
of or)

2. Relational (conditional) operators: =, >, <, >< (not equal

to)

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 3. Buffering
The Buffer tool creates a new coverage of buffer polygons
around specified input coverage features.
Features can be polygons, lines, points, or nodes.

Creation of an area of interest around an object

There are two types of buffering

1. Single ring buffering

2. Multiring buffering

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4. Methods of data output & Presentation

GIS Results can be presented in any of the following

forms;

 Maps

 Tables
 Figures (graphs & charts)

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 Classification of GIS function
1. Analysis of spatial and attribute data
- Spatial analysis Ex. Overlay operation

Figure showing overlay

operation
2. Maintenance of attribute data
Ex. Format conversion

3. Maintenance of spatial data

Ex. Projection conversion

4. Output function

Ex. Text labels

1.6 GIS packages
1. Arc/Info - developed by ESRI

- Vector based
- Handles both Spatial data and Non spatial data
- Organize vector topological model
 GIS packages
Arc/Info
The main functionalities of the software are:
 Arc Digitization System (ADS) and Arc edit:
 Data base creation in Arc/Info is possible through the
process of digitization
 GIS packages
2. ILWIS
 For windows based GIS and RS applications

 Basic GIS facilities like digitization, editing, attribute

data manipulation, spatial analysis

 It also has image processing facilities, creation of

DEM, slope etc.

GIS packages
3. ENVI (Environment for Visualizing Images)
 Used for multi and hyper spectral analysis
of remotely sensed data.
 Supports basic GIS modules
 Integration of RS and GIS data.
GIS packages
4. ArcView
Good for data display and map generation

View: is used to display themes, set scale, change

symbology
Tables: Create, edit, update attribute tables

Charts: to create charts such as pie charts…….

Layout: designing of maps with other marginal

information
Script: used to customize the software
 GIS packages
5. ArcGIS
 Combination of Arc/Info and ArcView

In addition,
 Spatial Analyst,

 3D Analyst,

 Network Analyst,

 Survey Analyst etc.