GIS Glossary
Definitions & FAQs you need to deepen your understanding of spatial data science and location intelligence
3D City Modeling
3D City Modeling is a digital representation process that aims to replicate a city or urban environment's real-world physical characteristics in three dimensions. The modeling can encapsulate various ...
3D Feature
A 3D Feature in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) refers to any spatial entity that has dimensions in all three geometric planes - height, width, and depth. The feature can represent real-world ...
3D Model
A 3D model is a three-dimensional representation of a physical object, structure, terrain, or living organism, created or simulated using computer software. They are generated by manipulating polygo...
3D Surface Area
3D Surface Area, or Three-Dimensional Surface Area, is a measure in the field of Geographical Information System (GIS), used to quantify the surface area of a three-dimensional object in space. Surfa...
Absolute Coordinates
Absolute coordinates are a type of data used in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. These coordinates represent a unique and specific location on the earth's surface. They're often denot...
Across-Track Scanner
An Across-Track Scanner, also known as a whiskbroom scanner, is a specific type of scanning device used in remote sensing technology to capture data in a swathe perpendicular to the direction of the ...
Active Remote Sensing
Active Remote Sensing is a type of remote sensing that involves the emission and subsequent reception of radiation from a source. The sensor emits its own energy and measures the strength and time d...
Address Geocoding
Address geocoding is the process of associating or converting geographic coordinates with street addresses, ZIP codes, or other location identifiers. This process is primarily used to map and visuali...
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer
The Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) is a broad-band, four or five channel (depending on the model) scanner, sensing in the visible, near-infrared and thermal infrared portions of the ...
Aerial Photograph
An aerial photograph is a photograph of the Earth's surface taken from an elevated or direct-down position, typically from an airplane, satellite, helicopter, balloon, or drone. These photographs ar...
Aeronautical Chart
An Aeronautical Chart is a map designed to assist in navigation of aircraft, much as nautical charts do for watercraft, or a road map for drivers. Using various scales, these charts depict features ...
Agricultural GIS
Agricultural GIS refers to the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in farming and agriculture industries. It is specifically designed to capture, manipulate, analyze, and present spatial or ...
Attribute Data
Attribute data in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) refers to the additional information about spatial features that is stored in a tabular format and linked to spatial data. This type of data, a ...
Augmented Reality GIS
Augmented Reality Geographic Information Systems (AR GIS) integrates augmented reality (AR) technology with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Augmented reality is a technology that overlays digit ...
Automated Feature Extraction
Automated Feature Extraction refers to the process where computer algorithms, typically incorporated in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software, extract relevant features from geospatial data.
Basemap
A basemap refers to a map depicting background geographic information that serves as a visual framework, upon which other additional layers with thematic data are overlaid. This underlying map is an ...
Big Data
Big Data refers to complex, large datasets that traditional data processing software cannot manage. They include structured, semi-structured, and unstructured data collected from various sources and ...
Bing Maps
Bing Maps is a web mapping service provided as part of Microsoft's Bing suite of search engines and powered by the Bing Maps for Enterprise framework. It provides road maps, street views, satellite/...
Buffer Analysis
Buffer analysis is a key function in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) used to display and identify features that fall within a certain distance, specified by the user, from a particular feature ...
Cadastral Map
A cadastral map is a comprehensive land recording system that includes information about the ownership, tenure, precise locations, dimensions and other details of land properties. Based on the cadas...
Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of creating maps or visual representations of geographic areas. It involves a blend of sciences, aesthetics, and technical skills to represent spatial data. It ...
Census Data
Census data refers to the structured record of information collected by national or local authorities from every household and individual inhabiting a particular region or country. These records inc...
Choropleth Map
A Choropleth Map is a type of thematic map wherein areas are shaded or patterned in relation to a statistical variable that represents an aggregate summary of a geographic characteristic within each ...
Clip Analysis
The term Clip Analysis is one heavily used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software. Specifically, this technique involves taking the geometries from one layer and using them to cut, or "cli...
Cloud GIS
Cloud Geographic Information System (Cloud GIS) refers to a type of GIS technology which is hosted on the Internet, enabling GIS functionality and data access without the requirement of local hardwa...
Conservation GIS
Conservation GIS refers to the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies in conservation biology and environmental sciences. It involves the use, collection, analysis, and interpretati...
Coordinate System
A coordinate system is a standardized method for identifying the location of a point on the earth's surface or in space by using numbers or coordinates. It is a mathematical way of depicting three di...
DEM
A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a 3D representation of a terrain's surface that does not include any objects like buildings or vegetation. It presents the bare ground surface without any objects, ...
Datum
A Datum is a reference or base for a system of geographic coordinates that serves as a standard measurement. It is a mathematical model that describes the Earth's shape and is critical in ensuring ac...
Deep Learning in GIS
Deep learning is a subset of machine learning, itself a branch of artificial intelligence (AI), that offers advanced computational capabilities to model and understand complex patterns and relations ...
Digital Elevation Model
A Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is a 3D representation of a terrain's surface created from elevation data. It is a digital model or three-dimensional representation of a geographic area's terrain's ...
Drone Mapping
Drone mapping refers to the use of drone or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to capture high-resolution aerial data and generate digital maps in the forms of 2D orthomosaic maps, 3D models o...
Environmental Impact Assessment
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process that identifies, predicts, evaluates, and mitigates the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals before signific...
Forest GIS
Forest GIS (Geographic Information System) is a technology-based system that helps researchers and environmental management professionals to collect, manage, analyze, visualize, and interpret data re...
GIS Analysis
GIS Analysis refers to the process of using a Geographic Information System (GIS) to compile, manipulate and interpret geographic data in a spatial context. This process involves the use of advanced ...
GIS Cloud Computing
GIS Cloud Computing refers to the use of remote servers hosted on the Internet for the purpose of storing, managing, and processing geographic information system (GIS) data, rather than a local serve ...
GIS Data
GIS Data, short for Geographic Information Systems data, is a type of data that is specifically designed for use in digital mapping software. It is spatial data that is collected, compiled, and stor...
GIS Mapping
GIS Mapping, also known as Geographic Information Systems mapping, is a type of digitized mapping that integrates data location and attributes to represent information spatially. This technology is ...
GIS Modeling
GIS Modeling, also known as Geographic Information System Modeling, is a method used in geospatial analysis that involves the integration of spatial datasets to generate maps representing specific g...
GIS Software
GIS Software, or Geographic Information System Software, is a type of computer program designed to store, retrieve, manage, display, and analyze all types of geographical and spatial data. GIS softw...
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a technology that determines the precise location of something or someone on earth. It is a navigation system that involves a network of 24 satellites in orbit ...
GeoJSON
GeoJSON is a geospatial data interchange format based on JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). It defines several types of JSON objects and the manner in which they are combined to represent data about ...
GeoWeb
The GeoWeb is a conceptual framework that combines geographic information systems (GIS) and the World Wide Web, providing access and interaction capabilities with geographic information in a network ...
Geocoding
Geocoding is a computational process that transforms a postal address or place name into spatial data that can be displayed as features on a map, typically by associating the text with a pair of lat...
Geographic Coordinate System
A Geographic Coordinate System (GCS) is a type of coordinate system that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers or letters. It is a system that uses latitude and longitu...
Geographic Information Science
Geographic Information Science (GIScience) refers to the academic discipline and broad-based scientific research field that studies the theories, methods, technologies, and applications related to ge...
Geographic Information System
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a framework utilized for capturing, storing, processing, analyzing, managing, and presenting diverse types of geographical and spatial data. The system provi...
Geonetwork
GeoNetwork is an open source software that manages spatial information and related metadata. It is a standards-based geographical information system (GIS) that provides a platform for creating and m...
Geoportal
A geoportal is a type of web portal used to find and access geographic information (geospatial information) and associated geographic services (such as GIS services) via the Internet. Geoportals are ...
Georeferencing
Georeferencing is a process that involves relating internal spatial coordinates to geographic coordinates defined by the earth's surface. In Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Geomatics, geore...
Geospatial AI
Geospatial AI, also commonly known as GeoAI, is the combination of geographical information systems (GIS) and artificial intelligence (AI). It's a multidimensional field that applies AI techniques t...
Geospatial Analysis
Geospatial analysis is a comprehensive terminology that encompasses various forms of analyses involving data that has geographical or spatial aspect. The primary focus of geospatial analysis is to u...
Geospatial Cloud Computing
Geospatial Cloud Computing refers to the use of cloud computing resources in the processing, analysis, and visualization of geographic information. It involves the use of cloud-based platforms for s...
Geospatial Data
Geospatial data, also known as spatial data or geographic information, refers to information about a physical object that can be represented by numerical values in a geographic coordinate system. Ess...
Geospatial Data Science
Geospatial Data Science is an interdisciplinary field that involves utilizing statistical, computing, and data analysis techniques in the interpretation and comprehension of geographic or spatial pa...
Geospatial Intelligence
Geospatial Intelligence, often abbreviated as GEOINT, is the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess, and visually depict physical features and geographic ...
Geospatial Interoperability
Geospatial Interoperability is a concept in the field of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) that pertains to the ability of diverse and various geospatial systems, applications, and datasets to ...
Geostatistics
Geostatistics is a branch of statistics that focuses on spatial or spatiotemporal datasets. It includes the statistical analytics required for the understanding and interpretation of data that vary s...
Google Earth
Google Earth is a digital globe, map and geographical information program that was originally named EarthViewer 3D created by Keyhole, Inc, a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) funded company acquired ...
Hydrology Modeling
Hydrology modeling refers to the mathematical representation of water flow and distribution, which includes the nature and movement of water on and under the earth's surface. These models are critic ...
IoT in GIS
Internet of Things (IoT) in Geographic Information System (GIS) refers to the integration of mapping and spatial analytics with various connected devices that collect and share real-time data via the ...
KML
Keyhole Markup Language (KML) is a file format used to display geographic data in an earth browser, such as Google Earth, Google Maps, and Google Maps for mobile. It is an Open Geospatial Consortium ...
Land Cover
Land cover refers to the physical and biological material, artificial or natural, that cloak the earth's surface. Land cover includes various elements like vegetation, bodies of water, built-up area ...
Land Use
Land use pertains to the management and modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and ma...
Latitude
Latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees and denoted by the Greek lett...
Lidar
Lidar, an acronym for Light Detection And Ranging, is an active remote sensing method that uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure distances to the Earth. These light pulses, combined wi...
Location Intelligence
Location Intelligence (LI) is a business analysis tool capability that aids in visualizing geographical relationships within data. It employs geographic information system (GIS) data and analytical t...
Longitude
Longitude refers to the angular distance of a place east or west of the meridian at Greenwich, England, or west of the standard meridian of a celestial object. It is usually measured in degrees (°), ...
Machine Learning in GIS
Machine Learning in GIS refers to the application of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, specifically machine learning (ML), in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). This integration allows sys...
Map Projection
A map projection is a systematic transformation of the latitudes and longitudes of locations on the surface of a sphere or an ellipsoid into locations on a plane. Map projections are needed for crea...
Marine GIS
Marine Geographic Information System (Marine GIS) is a specialized branch of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that is tailored specifically to the marine environment. Marine GIS is specifically ...
Metadata
Metadata, within the context of Geographic Information System (GIS), is essential data about other data. It succinctly outlines the basic attributes and characteristics of certain data, thereby prov...
Mobile GIS
Mobile Geographic Information System, abbreviated as Mobile GIS, is a geographic information system that is capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, processing, and presenting geospatial data and i...
Network Analysis
Network Analysis in terms of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) refers to a set of techniques used for subdividing, examining, modeling, and interpreting the geometric or topological properties of ...
OGC
The OGC, or Open Geospatial Consortium, is a global consortium of companies, government agencies, research organizations, and universities participating in a consensus process to develop publicly ava...
Open-Source GIS
Open-Source GIS refers to Geographical Information System software where the source code is freely available and can be viewed, modified, and distributed by anyone. Open-source software is based on ...
OpenStreetMap
OpenStreetMap (OSM) is an internationally recognized open-source mapping project that utilizes the power of a global community to create, update and share detailed and accurate maps of the world. Ju...
Orthophoto
An Orthophoto, also known as an orthoimage or orthophotograph, can be defined as an aerial photograph that has been geometrically corrected or "orthorectified" in a way such that the scale is unifor...
Overlay
In Geographic Information System (GIS), an overlay is an essential operation used to merge geographic and attribute data from two or more geographic layers to create a new map layer.
Path Analysis
Path Analysis is a statistical technique used in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) where direct and indirect effects among the variables of a system are studied by specifying causal relations betwee...
Projected Coordinate System
A Projected Coordinate System (PCS) is a type of spatial reference system that represents the three-dimensional earth on a two-dimensional plane. It employs mathematical techniques to convert spheri...
Public Health GIS
Public Health GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is a field that uses geospatial technology and data to understand and support public health initiatives and practices. It serves as a tool to visua...
QGIS
QGIS, also known as Quantum Geographic Information System, is an open-source software application that performs various tasks related to digital mapping technologies. It provides data visualization, ...
Raster Data
Raster data, in the field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), is a type of geospatial data that is represented in a grid or a matrix format. It comprises pixels or cells, with each pixel having ...
Real-Time GIS
Real-Time Geographic Information System (RTGIS) is a type of Geographic Information System (GIS) that allows for the live processing and analysis of spatial data. Real-Time GIS is designed to handle ...
Remote Sensing
Remote sensing is a science and technology-based method used to gather data or information about objects or features without physically contacting them. It uses a variety of sensors to measure and o...
Remote Sensing Analytics
Remote Sensing Analytics refers to the process of acquiring, processing, analyzing, and interpreting data from a distance, often using satellite or aircraft technology. It allows geographical inform ...
Satellite Image Analysis
Satellite Image Analysis refers to the process of extracting useful information and determining the features of an image obtained from a satellite. This type of analysis uses techniques that manipula...
Satellite Imagery
Satellite imagery refers to images of Earth or other planets that are collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. These pictures or photographs are captu...
Scale
In the context of geographic information system (GIS), scale is an important term that depicts a mathematical relationship between a map's size and the size of the area it represents on the Earth's s...
Shapefile
A shapefile is a popular geospatial vector data format supported by various geographic information system (GIS) software. It is typically used for storing the location, shape, and attributes (non-sp...
Site Selection
Site Selection in Geographic Information System (GIS) pertains to the process of assessing, analyzing, and choosing an optimal location for a facility or operation based on a diverse array of spatia...
Smart Cities
A Smart City is a framework, predominantly composed of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), to develop, deploy and promote sustainable development practices to address growing urbanizat...
Spatial Analysis
Spatial Analysis is a scientific process that involves the exploration, assessment, modeling, and interpreting of patterns and phenomena concerning space and geography. It uses mathematical techniqu...
Spatial Big Data
Spatial Big Data (SBD) refers to massive volumes of complex and variable data having geospatial or geographic properties. The data may come from various sources such as satellites, aerial remote sen...
Spatial Data Infrastructure
A Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI) is a framework of spatial data, metadata, users, and tools that interact with each other and provide an efficient and flexible way to use spatial information. It ...
Spatial Database
A spatial database is a database system that has been optimized to store, query, and manipulate geographic and spatial data such as points, lines, and polygons. These databases handle spatial and ge...
Spatial Decision Support Systems
Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) are interactive, computer-based systems designed to assist in decision making while solving complex problems that involve large geographical or spatial compon...
Spatial Interpolation
Spatial interpolation is a method used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that estimates the values of data points at an un-sampled site within an area, based on sampled points from around that ...
Spatial Query
A spatial query is a special type of database query supported by spatial databases and geographic information systems (GIS). This type of query is specifically designed to work with data that is asso...
Spatial Regression
Spatial regression is a statistical technique used to establish relationships and associations between different spatial entities. It goes a step further than traditional regression analysis by acco...
Spatial Statistics
Spatial statistics, as the name suggests, is the field of statistics dedicated to spatial data or data associated with locations. This involves any data that can be represented in some spatial form ...
TIN
A Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) is a type of digital surface model used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to depict three-dimensional terrain surfaces. It is constructed by subdividing t...
Thematic Map
A thematic map is a type of map or chart especially designed to show a particular theme connected with a specific geographic area. These maps can portray physical, social, political, cultural, econo...
Topographic Map
A topographic map is a specialized type of map designed to show the physical features, relief, or terrains of an area. It illustrates both the natural and man-made features such as forests, bodies of ...
Topology
Topology in geographic information systems (GIS) represents the spatial relationships between connecting or adjacent geographic features. It involves the mathematical and logical concept used in GIS ...
Transportation GIS
Transportation GIS is a specific category of Geographic Information System (GIS) that is primarily focused on the application of spatial information and geographic functions in transportation-relate ...
Urban Analytics
Urban Analytics is a field of study that utilizes spatial and statistical analysis to understand the patterns, processes, and complexities within urban areas. This analytic practice involves the col...
Urban Planning
Urban planning, also known as city planning or town planning, it is a technical and political process that is used to develop and manage land in urban areas. Its main goal is to ensure the orderly d...
Utility Network
A Utility Network is a comprehensive geospatial model that allows for detailed representation and management of utility system infrastructure such as water, sewer, gas, electric, and telecommunicati...
Vector Data
Vector data is one of the two main data structures used in Geographic Information System (GIS) to represent spatial data. It models geographical features as collections of points, lines, and polygon ...
Viewshed Analysis
Viewshed analysis is a spatial analysis method in Geographic Information System (GIS) which is used to determine the visibility of a particular object or an area. It takes into account various facto...
Virtual Reality GIS
Virtual Reality GIS, or VRGIS, is a technology that merges Geographic Information Systems (GIS) with Virtual Reality (VR). VRGIS technology enables users to interact with a three-dimensional (3D) re...
WFS
Web Feature Service (WFS) is an open standard created by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) that allows for the requesting and manipulation of geographical features across the web using platform-in ...
WMS
Web Map Service, or WMS, is a widely adopted protocol for providing georeferenced map images over the internet. It is a standard protocol for serving georeferenced map images over the internet that ...
Web GIS
Web GIS is an advancement of traditional geographic information systems (GIS) that allows users to access, analyze, and share geographical information over the internet. Utilizing web protocols and i...
Zonal Statistics
Zonal Statistics is a significant concept in the geographical information system (GIS) analysis which is mainly used to compute the values of a raster within the zones of another dataset. Zonal oper...
Zoning Map
A zoning map is a crucial tool used in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) that illustrates the zoning ordinance of a specific area, typically a city or county. A zoning ordinance is a rule stating ...
