What is GIS?

A Geographic Information System is a computer-based system that provides functionality for digital mapping and analysis. The three main components of a system are computer hardware, GIS software and spatial data. These components are used to create, edit, analyze, manage and display spatial data.

GIS data can be such elements as wetlands, roads, municipal boundaries, land use, soils, geology or anything that has a spatial component. Each element is tied to an associated database with information about its features. For example, open space data can have database information about location, ownership, activities, hours, use, size, name, maintenance, etc.

The real power of GIS lies in its abilities to analyze extremely large amounts of data, concurrently utilize data from different sources and scales and display them in a variety of media.

Demo: What is GIS? by ESRI
Brochure: What is GIS? by ESRI
History of GIS