Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

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You may be surprised to learn how much geography matters in our everyday lives. The ability to link maps digitally to information enables us to visualize and understand patterns and relationships around us. Geographic information systems, or GIS, provides this link."> <meta name="DC.creator" content="US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration"> <meta name="DC.date.created" scheme="ISO8601" content="2015-10-23"> <meta name="DC.language" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC1766" content="EN-US">  <meta name="twitter:card" content=" " /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@noaaocean" /> <meta name="twitter:creator" content="@noaaocean" />  <meta property="og:title" content="Geographic Information Systems (GIS)" />  <meta property="og:description" content="Every year we celebrate GIS Day in November, as part of Geography Awareness Week. You may be surprised to learn how much geography matters in our everyday lives. 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The ability to link maps digitally to information enables us to visualize and understand patterns and relationships around us. Geographic information systems, or GIS, provides this link.</p> <p>GIS describes a wide variety of computer-aided tools and services that capture, store, check, and display information related to positions on Earth鈥檚 surface. You probably use GIS every day without realizing it. When you use a smartphone to get directions or to find the closest restaurant to your location, you're tapping into the power of GIS. Here at NOAA, GIS is used to map oil spill trajectories, plot the paths of historic hurricanes, view and analyze nautical charts, and understand trends in areas such as sea level change and coastal socioeconomics. Analysts and scientists also use GIS for land use planning, business applications, scientific research, and even as a tool to aid in our nation鈥檚 defense.</p> <p>Each year, we celebrate GIS Day in November as part of Geography Awareness Week. GIS Day started in 1999 as an educational event for GIS users to showcase their projects that have real-world applications. Opening their doors to schools, businesses, and the public, GIS users and vendors demonstrate the benefits of GIS and how it makes a difference in our society. Today, GIS Day is recognized globally with events occurring in dozens of countries.</p> <div class="clearfix"></div> <div class="clearfix"></div> <h5>Build strong, more resilient coastal communities:</h5> <div class="col-md-5 float-left mb-2 pl-3"> <figure class="figure"> <a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html"> <img src="/news/slr-viewer.jpg" class="figure-img img-fluid" alt="screenshot of San Francisco area in the Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer online tool" /></a> </figure> </div> <p> <strong><a href="https://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/slr.html">Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding Impacts Viewer </a></strong></p> <p>Using the best-available science and data, federal agencies developed a sea level rise planning tool to help state and local officials, community planners, and infrastructure managers understand possible future flood risks from sea level rise for use in planning decisions. This, and many other coastal GIS tools are available from <a href="http://coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/">NOAA's Digital Coast.</a> </p> <div class="clearfix"></div> <div class="pb-2"></div> <h5>Prepare for and recover from environmental and natural disasters:</h5> <div class="col-md-5 float-left mb-2 pl-3"> <figure class="figure"> <a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/maps-and-spatial-data/environmental-response-management-application-erma"><img src="/news/erma.jpg" class="figure-img img-fluid" alt="screenshot of ERMA online tool for the Arctic region" /></a> </figure> </div> <p> <strong><a href="http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/maps-and-spatial-data/environmental-response-management-application-erma">Environmental Response Management Application (ERMA庐)</a></strong></p> <p>ERMA is an online mapping tool that integrates both static and real-time data, such as ship locations, weather, and ocean currents, in a centralized, interactive map for environmental disaster response. Having the latest information in an easy-to-use format provides managers with the data they need to make informed decisions. </p> <div class="clearfix"></div> <div class="pb-2"></div> <h5>Make ocean observations & coastal and marine weather available to mariners:</h5> <div class="col-md-5 float-left mb-2 pl-3"> <figure class="figure"> <a href="https://nowcoast.noaa.gov/"><img src="/news/nowcoast.jpg" class="figure-img img-fluid" title="Screenshot of nowCoast webmap showing ocean observations in the Gulf of Mexico" /></a> </figure> </div> <p><strong><a href="https://nowcoast.noaa.gov/">nowCoast</a></strong></p> <p>This GIS-based webmap service provides frequently updated ocean observations along with coastal and marine weather forecasts available 24 hours a day. Users can experience visual point-and-click access to 60 NOAA data products and services. This online tool provides the public with a one-stop-shop look at coastal conditions—real-time and forecast—before they do or plan anything on the water.</p> <div class="clearfix"></div> <div class="pb-2"></div> <h5>Improve data and location precision:</h5> <div class="col-md-5 float-left mb-2 pl-3"> <figure class="figure"> <a href="http://geodesy.noaa.gov/CORS/"><img src="/news/cors.jpg" class="figure-img img-fluid" title="map showing the network of continuously operating reference stations (CORS) supporting three-dimensional positioning activities" /></a> </figure> </div> <p><strong><a href="http://geodesy.noaa.gov/CORS/">Continuously Operating Reference System (CORS)</a></strong></p> <p>Surveyors, GIS users, engineers, scientists, and the public that collect GPS data can use CORS data to improve the precision of their positions. The network of 1,800 CORS stations improves coordinates relative to the National Spatial Reference System, both horizontally and vertically. </p> <div class="mb-5"></div> </div>  <div class="col-md-3">  <div class="card card-highlight mb-3 bg-light"> <div class="card-body p-3"> <div class="pb-3"></div> <h5 class="card-title"><strong>What is a geographic information system?</strong></h5> <p class="card-text"><em>GIS is a computer system that captures, stores, checks, and displays information related to positions on Earth鈥檚 surface. It helps analysts and scientists study climate change, land use planning, business, and even our nation鈥檚 defense. <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/gis.html">Learn more.</a> </em></p>   <div class="pt-2"></div> <h5 class="card-title">More <strong>Information</strong></h5> <p> <a href="http://gisday.com/" > <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary w-100">GIS Day </button> </a> </p> <p> <a href="http://www.geographyawarenessweek.org" > <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary w-100">Geography Awareness Week </button> </a> </p> <p> <a href="http://www.coast.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/" > <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary w-100">NOAA Digital Coast </button> </a> </p> <p> <a href="https://response.restoration.noaa.gov/resources/environmental-sensitivity-index-esi-maps" > <button type="button" class="btn btn-outline-primary w-100">Office of Response & Restoration Maps and Spatial Data </button> </a> </p>  <div class="pb-5"></div> <div class="pb-5"></div>  <div class="pt-2"></div> <h5 class="card-title"><a href="/socialmedia.html">Get <strong>Social</strong></a></h5> <div id="social"> <div class="col-12 py-2" id="social"> <h6 class="sr-only"> Social </h6> <p></p> <ul class="nav list-unstyled text-small justify-content-center"> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/noaaocean"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/icons/twitter-blue.png" alt="Twitter Logo" /> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/usoceangov/"><img class="d-inline align-middle pr-2" src="/bs4/img/icons/facebook-blue.png" alt="Facebook Logo" /> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/noaaocean/"><img class="d-inline align-middle pr-2" src="/bs4/img/icons/instagram-blue.png" alt="Instagram Logo" /> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/usoceangov"><img class="d-inline align-middle pr-2" src="/bs4/img/icons/youtube-blue.png" alt="Youtube Logo" /> </a></li>  <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/noaa-national-ocean-service"><img class="d-inline align-middle pr-2" src="/bs4/img/icons/linkedin_blue.png" alt="LinkedIn Logo" /> </a></li> </ul> </div> </div>  <div class="pb-3"></div> </div> </div> <div class="pb-5"></div> <div class="card card-highlight mb-5"> <div class="card-body">  <h5 class="card-title"><strong>Last updated:</strong></h5> <h6 class="card-subtitle mb-2 text-muted"> 06/16/24 </h6> <p class="card-text"><strong>Author:</strong> NOAA</p> <p class="card-text"><a href="/about/welcome.html#cite">How to cite this article</a></p> <p class="card-text"><a href="/contact.html">Contact Us</a></p>  </div> </div> </div>  </div> </div>    <footer role="contentinfo"> <a href="#" id="scroll-to-top"><img src="/bs4/img/Scroll-To-Top_Icon@2x_b.png" alt="scroll to top arrow icon"></a> <div id="footer-social"> <div class="col-12 pt-3" style="background-color: #ccc;"> <h5 class="sr-only"> Feedback</h5> <ul class="nav list-unstyled text-small justify-content-center pb-3">  <li class="nav-item m-1"> <a href="/contact.html" class="btn btn-light btn-lg" role="button" aria-pressed="true">Contact Us</a></li> <li class="nav-item m-1"> <a href="/contact.html#feedback" class="btn btn-light btn-lg" role="button" aria-pressed="true">Report an error</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="col-12 pt-3" style="background-color: #ccc;"> <h5 class="sr-only"> Social</h5> <ul class="nav list-unstyled text-small justify-content-center pb-3"> <li><a href="https://twitter.com/noaaocean"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/x-black.png" alt="X Logo"/> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/usoceangov/"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/facebook-color.png" alt="Facebook Logo"/> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.instagram.com/noaaocean/"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/instagram-color.png" alt="Instagram Logo"> <//a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/usoceangov"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/youtube-color.png" alt="Youtube Logo"> </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/noaa-national-ocean-service"><img class="d-inline align-middle p-2" src="/bs4/img/linkedin-color.png" alt="LinkedIn Logo"> </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="footer-main"> <div class="container pt-5 pb-5"> <div class="row"> <div align="center" class="col-lg-4 col-sm-4 col-xs-12 pb-3"> <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/"><img src="/bootstrap/img/noaa_logo_circle_72x72.svg" alt="NOAA Logo" /></a> <p class="text-center pt-2"> <em>Science. 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Geographic Information Systems (GIS)