What is GIS?

Many of the decisions we make every day involve being able to access, understand and utilise the space around us. This type of information is referred to as spatial information, and when visualised, we can see relationships, patterns, and trends that may not otherwise be apparent. A Geographic Information System (GIS) is mapping software that provides spatial information by linking locations with information about that location. It provides the functions and tools needed to efficiently capture, store, manipulate, analyse, and display the information about places and things.