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Geographic information systems (GIS) are systems of computer hardware, attendant software, and digitized spatial data combined for the purpose of storing and subsequently displaying the spatial data in a cartographic format. GIS thus graphically display the spatial relationship that exists between various features of the earth's physical and cultural landscape. The study and understanding of these spatial relationships is the essence of the discipline of geography. The spatial relationships of these landscape features influence a plethora of human endeavors from city planning to retail store locations to environmental awareness.

Landscape features exist in time and place and exert influence over one another. Physical features of the landscape include such things as streams, topography, glacial deposits, ground cover, swamps, deserts, and soil types. Cultural features are...