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A geographic
information system (GIS), or more commonly referred to as
a geospatial information system or Geographic Information
Science, is a system for capturing, storing, analyzing and
managing data and associated attributes which are spatially
referenced to the earth. In the strictest sense, it is a computer
system capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing,
sharing, and displaying geographically-referenced information.
In a more generic sense, GIS is a tool that allows users to
create interactive queries, analyze the spatial information,
edit data, maps, and present the results of all these operations.
Geographic information science is the science underlying the
applications and systems, taught as a degree program by several
universities.
Geographic information
system technology can be used for scientific investigations,
resource management, asset management, Environmental Impact
Assessment, Urban planning, cartography, criminology, history,
sales, marketing, and route planning. For example, a GIS might
allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response
times in the event of a natural disaster, a GIS might be used
to find wetlands that need protection from pollution, or a
GIS can be used by a company to find new potential customers
similar to the ones they already have and project sales due
to expanding into that market.
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