Glossary

Geographic information system (GIS)

Software for capturing, storing, analyzing and displaying data tied to specific locations on the Earth's surface.

Also called: GIS

A geographic information system is software for capturing, storing, querying, analyzing and displaying data that is tied to a location on Earth. It represents the world as layers, roads, parcels, sensor readings, satellite imagery, each aligned to a common coordinate system, so layers from different sources can be combined and compared spatially.

GIS data comes in two core forms: vector data (points, lines and polygons with attributes, such as store locations or administrative boundaries) and raster data (a grid of cells, such as satellite imagery or elevation). A GIS platform lets an analyst run spatial analysis operations, like finding every store within a polygon or measuring distance to the nearest facility, that ordinary tabular tools cannot express.

GIS is the platform layer behind most location work: it is where geocoding output gets mapped, where a choropleth map is built, and where a geofencing boundary is drawn and tested against a dataset of points. It matters wherever "where" changes the answer, site selection, logistics, public health, environmental monitoring. The main pitfalls are mismatched coordinate reference systems between layers, which silently misplace data, and choosing a map projection that distorts area or distance in ways that mislead the analysis.

Last reviewed September 22, 2026

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Related terms

Geocoding Converting a text address or place name into geographic coordinates, or the reverse, for mapping and analysis. Spatial analysis Analytical techniques that use the location, distance or arrangement of data to find patterns tabular data hides. Choropleth map A map where regions are shaded or colored to represent the value of a statistic, such as population density. Geofencing Drawing a virtual boundary around a location so entry or exit can trigger an action or be logged as an event. Remote sensing Collecting data about the Earth's surface or atmosphere from satellites, aircraft or drones without physical contact.

Related guides

How to choose a geospatial analytics tool Pick a location-intelligence tool by the question you're asking — desktop analysis, a shared map, an embedded feature, or warehouse SQL — not the demo map. How to choose a smart city and urban planning tool Asset management, government operations, transit planning and land-use simulation are separate jobs sold under one "smart city" label. How to choose an emergency management platform Match the tool to the phase of an incident it's built for — day-to-day EOC coordination, evacuation, or getting emergency data to 911. How to start with geospatial analysis Coordinate systems, geocoding, spatial joins, and the map design choices that mislead — the fundamentals before you pick a GIS tool. Where to find earth observation and satellite data NASA, ESA, NOAA and USGS all publish free satellite archives — the real choice is resolution, revisit frequency and whether you need raw scenes or an API.