A GIS or Geographical Information Systems captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and presents data that is linked to a location. A GIS is a method by which specialist mapping software  is applied to the areas of remote sensing, land surveying, aerial photography, photogrammetry, and many tools can be used together to make up the specific GIS solution that is needed for a specific project.

A GIS is an information system that integrates, stores, edits, analyzes, shares, and displays geographic information. GIS applications are tools that allow the user to create interactive queries, analyze spatial information, edit data, maps, and present the results of all these operations.

GIS is a powerful tool for collecting and collating datasets enabling consistency and continuity.  GIS is able to process varying types and amounts of data.  It allows the import of various monitoring data sets and statistical analysis of the data.

GIS technology can be used for resource management, asset management, archaeology, environmental impact assessment, urban planning, cartography, criminology, geographic history, marketing, logistics and other purposes. For example, GIS might allow emergency planners to easily calculate emergency response times (i.e. logistics) in the event of a natural disaster, GIS might be used to find wetlands that need protection from pollution, or GIS can be used by a company to site a new business location to take advantage of a previously under-served market.

GIS as a technology can be used as a framework for sustainable development. A GIS database can begin at the baseline and with the addition of new data, changes in once overlapping data sources can be monitored and mitigated against. GIS allows the user to measure assets and understand patterns of change so as to better understand the use of resources. A GIS database can ensure better utilisation of resources by leveraging geographic information with analysis tools that support planning as well as operational activities.