Geographic Information System (GIS)

Published July 2001

Tools used to gather, transform, manipulate, analyze, and produce information related to the surface of the Earth. This data may exist as maps, 3D virtual models, tables, and/or lists. GIS plays an important role in many organizations. For instance, police and fire departments may use GISs to locate landmarks and hazards, plot destinations, and design emergency routes. GISs may also be used by governments, research institutes, or any other body that cannot handle the task of manually processing large amounts of geographical data.

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