GIS mapping is the process of converting geographical data into visual references for analysis. It uses computer hardware and software to refine raw information into actionable data, which can be used in various applications. Google Maps® is a popular open-source GIS mapping software that allows amateur programmers to create maps, while professionals use specialized software that requires extensive training and can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping is the practice of transforming geographic data into visual references that can be used for analysis. The modern GIS mapping process incorporates various tools, including computer hardware and GIS mapping software, to achieve this. GIS mapping software specifically allows a user to quickly refine raw information into actionable data. The final product can be used in a wide range of applications, from scientific land surveying to urban planning and development.
Basically, GIS is the application of maps and cartographic data to solve real-world problems. That doesn’t necessarily mean electronically, although that has become increasingly implicit in the 21st century. In reality, though, the idea of using maps to solve problems has been around for years. The earliest known application of this was related to the trace of a cholera outbreak at a single water well in Victorian London.
The development of computer technology, beginning in the 1950s, has greatly enhanced the depth and scale of the ways in which GIS mapping can be used. Since that time, GIS mapping tools have become ubiquitous and are used by millions of people every day. Modern GIS mapping software is usually focused on digitized satellite imagery or physical maps. Specific to GIS purposes, location coordinates and topographic information are added to provide specific geographic references for the data.
A basic example of what GIS mapping software can do might involve entering the latitudes and longitudes of recent earthquakes into a program and overlaying them on a world map. The results would indicate, for example, that the West Coast of the United States is much more prone to earthquakes than the East Coast. This data could be a useful factor in determining insurance rates or structural requirements for the construction of new bridges and roads, among other things.
GIS mapping software is used a lot in the field of demographics. Perhaps the most important GIS mapping software of the 21st century has been Google Maps®. A free and open source service, it can be used by anyone with coding skills to create so-called mashups of demographic information and map data.
Google Maps® is far from the only GIS mapping software out there, but its importance lies in the fact that its open source nature has brought GIS mapping to the masses. It has allowed amateur programmers to create maps showing the prevalence of crime in particular neighborhoods of the city, recent lightning strikes and traffic jams, for example. While perhaps not profitable enough to drive a private company to charge for these things, they can still be very useful.
Professional and industry users, such as urban developers, architects, and government agencies, typically use more specialized GIS mapping software that may be more oriented to a specific function, rather than the general approach provided by Google Maps®. This type of software can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but it is necessary to handle the high volume of technical data that such use requires. Typically, these types of programs require extensive training to both program and interpret the data generated.
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