Basics of

Geographical
Information System
 Content

The session will cover the following topics:

 Concept of GIS
– What is GIS, its components
– Functions of GIS software
– Representation of objects in GIS

 Probable fields of GIS applications

– Contributing disciplines and technologies

 Data organization in GIS

– Types of Geographic data representation

 Desktop GIS

 Introduction to ArcView GIS software

– Component or modules in ArcView
– Brief functionalities of different modules etc.
 What is GIS?

GIS = Geographic Information System

 Information about places on the Earth's surface e.g population of

a country, educational infrastructure
 Knowledge about where something is e.g. locations of school
or college
 Knowledge about what is at a given location e.g. Number of
students or teachers and other status

GIS is a computer-based tool for solving real-world problems.

A GIS integrates information in such a way that it helps us
to understand and find solutions to problems. The objects
are stored in a database and dynamically linked to an
onscreen map, which displays graphics representing real-
world objects.
 What is GIS?
Functions of GIS
• Storing
• Manipulating
• Displaying
• Analyze, query and produce outputs
 GIS is the Information System, whether automated or manual
management of Geographic data (spatial data and associated attribute
data) for planning purposes.

 GIS is a very powerful Planning Tools used to efficiently analyze and

manage (input, store, retrieve, manipulate, analyze and output)
geographic information.

 GIS solves a problem, supports a decision and helps to plan

 The ability to incorporate spatial data, manage it, analyze it, and
answer spatial questions is the distinctive characteristic of geographic
information systems.
 Components of a GIS
 Trained manpower
 Data
 Maps, images, attribute data
 Hardware
 Like any other hardware
 with some extra component
 (big printer, digitizer…)
 Software
 Storing data, analysis tools
 Procedures
 Database development and analysis
 Presentation
 On paper map, digital
 Functions of GIS
The GIS is capable of finding solutions to real-world
problems. A GIS has the following capabilities:

 Data Capture
 Store Data
 Data Manipulation and Editing
 Database Management
 Data Integration and Modeling
 Database Query and Analysis
 Customization and Tools Development
 Output Preparation
 GIS concepts

Modeling the space in layers

 GIS concepts (contd.)

• Integrate graphics of a feature with its attribute using identifier

Representation of objects in GIS

902031 polygon
id Boundary

Person name
Owner

Address H-49, R-27, Banani

Date
registration
1/1/1990
 Presenting Geographic Data
GIS data can be represented as:
– real world objects with graphics and geographic features
– attributes (tabular format) and relate them with identifiers

9001274902031
id

Graphics Tabular format

Id Owner name Adres s Regis tration Date Latitu
9001274902031 Mr. Karim House - 49. Road - 27, Banani 1/1/1990 22, 25,
Plot Boundary 22, 27,
(Polygon)
9001274902032 Mr. Rahim House - 50. Road - 27, Banani 1/2/1990

House location
(Point) Geographic features
Road 27 (Line)
GIS Application Areas

• Urban Planning, Management and Policy

- Zoning, subdivision planning
- Tax assessment
- Education system
• Environmental Science
- Monitoring environmental risk
- EIA
• Utility and Civil Engineering
- Locating underground facilities
- Designing alignment for freeways, transit
- Coordination of infrastructure maintenance
• Business
- Market analysis
- Demographic analysis
- Site selection
GIS Application Areas (contd.)

• Health Care
- Epidemiological analysis
- Service inventory
- Needs analysis
• Real Estate
- Neighborhood land price
- Traffic impact analysis
- determination of highest and best use of land
• Hydrology
- Watershed management, floodplain management
- Floodplain zonation
- Flood risk and damage assessment
- Storm water and groundwater modeling
• Political Science
- Analysis of election results
- Predictive modeling
 Presenting Geographic
Data
The real world objects can be
represented by different features are:

 Line – river, road, embankment etc.

 Point – health center, district headquarters,
wells, educational institute etc.
 Polygon – Upazila boundary, parcel
boundary etc.
 GIS Data Format
 ArcView GIS has the compatibility of all the ESRI data formats:
Coverages, Shapefiles, Grids,images etc.
 ArcView GIS also supports variety of common image format.

Coverage
Coverage
Shapefile Internet
Shapefile InternetMap
MapServices
Services

Raster
Raster Tables
Tables
ArcView
ArcViewGIS
GIS
 GIS Data Format
• Shapefiles is compatible file format of ArcView GIS and It is also
compatible with ArcGIS.

• Each shapefile stores features belonging to a single feature class.

• Attributes stored in a dBASE table.

• Shapes are represented by different features are:

- Points
- Line, polylines
- Polygons

Points
Line / Polyline Polygon
 Data Analysis
• A GIS is able to analyze the spatial relationships among multiple
datasets to answer questions and solve problems.
• There are many types of geographic analysis :
- Proximity Analysis
- Overlay Analysis etc.
Proximity analysis
Proximity analysis uses the distance between features to answer questions like:
• How many schools are there within 1000 meters of the road?
• What is the total number of customers within 10 kilometers of Agora?
• What proportion of the wheat crop is within 500 meters of the well?

Which
WhichSchools
Schoolsare
arewithin
within
1000 meter of the road
1000 meter of the road

A 1000-meter buffer is created on either side of the road

to find the schools within the 1000-meter distance.
ArcView: GIS Software
ArcView, a product of Environment System Research Institute
(ESRI), is a software that provides the basic GIS functionality
with an easy-to-use graphic user interface(GUI) which can be
customised for specific applications.
Desktop GIS refer to a GIS that can be installed on a desktop
computer. It aims to provide the user the GIS analysis, query
with mapping facilities.

Capacity
• captures spatial data
• provides a set of tools for spatial data manipulation
• retrieves data from existing or newly created databases
• produces thematic maps
• supports add-on new modules with extensions.1
Presenting Geographic Data (cont.)
 Presenting Geographic Data (cont.)
LGED Projects BWDB Projects
 Examples of
GIS Application

Mapping Arsenic concentration

 Examples of
GIS Application

Soil Salinity Distribution 1973

Examples of
GIS Application

AG location
Bangladesh

Adarsha Gram Location

mapping
Dec 18, 2009
Introduction
Slid
Thanks
Reference

1.Geographical Information Systems : David J

Maguire, Michael F Goodchild & David W Rhind:
Great Britain, 1994, Vol. 1 & 2

2.Concepts & Techniques of Geographic

Information Systems: C.P. LO & Albert K W Yeung:
India, 2005

3.Introductory reading in Geographic Information

Systems: D J Peuquet & D F Marble: London, 1993