URP 316 — Principles of GIS and AutoCAD: Lecture Note

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LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS

LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS Course code: URP 316 Course title: Principles of GIS and AutoCAD Course credit load: 2 Units List of Series: • Series 1: Fundamentals and Components of GIS • Series 2: Spatial Data Models and Database Structures • Series 3: GIS Operations, Editing and Accuracy • Series 4: Integration of Remote Sensing, GPS and GIS • Series 5: Traditional Urban Design in Accuracy Cities 1 Fundamentals and Components of GIS Series Outline • Part 1 (1.1): Introduction to Geographic Information Systems • Sub-Part 1.1.1: Definition, nature, and scope of GIS • Sub-Part 1.1.2: GIS and related technologies: distinctions and relationships • Sub-Part 1.1.3: Applications of GIS in urban and regional planning • Part 2 (1.2): Components of a GIS • Sub-Part 1.2.1: Hardware components of a GIS • Sub-Part 1.2.2: Software components of a GIS • Sub-Part 1.2.3: Data, people, and procedures as GIS components • Part 3 (1.3): Coordinate Systems and Map Projections • Sub-Part 1.3.1: Geographic coordinate systems • Sub-Part 1.3.2: Projected coordinate systems • Sub-Part 1.3.3: Map projections used in Nigerian mapping • Part 4 (1.4): GIS Software and Data Sources • Sub-Part 1.4.1: GIS software: types and common platforms • Sub-Part 1.4.2: Primary and secondary GIS data sources • Sub-Part 1.4.3: Data quality, metadata, and standards Introduction Geographic Information Systems have transformed the way planners, engineers, and policy-makers understand and manage the built and natural environment. A GIS does far more than display a map on a screen it integrates spatial data with descriptive information, enabling users to ask complex questions about where things are, why they are there, and what might happen if conditions change. For urban and regional planners working in Nigeria, command of GIS is no longer optional; it is a professional necessity.

LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS The aim of this Series is to introduce you to the fundamental concepts, components, and technical foundations of Geographic Information Systems, equipping you to understand what a GIS is, how it is structured, and how it is applied in planning practice. We shall commence this Series by introducing GIS its definition, nature, scope, and relationship to related technologies. Next, we will examine the five components of a GIS: hardware, software, data, people, and procedures. Following that, we will explore coordinate systems and map projections, with particular attention to the systems used in Nigerian mapping. Finally, we will examine GIS software platforms and the primary and secondary data sources available to planners, concluding with the concepts of data quality and metadata. Series Learning Outcomes Upon completing this Series, you should be able to: • SLO 1.1 define GIS and describe its nature, scope, and relationship to related technologies, • SLO 1.2 explain the five components of a GIS (Hardware, Software, Data, People, and Procedures) and describe their roles in spatial analysis, • SLO 1.3 explain the concepts of coordinate systems and map projections and identify those used in Nigerian mapping, • SLO 1.4 identify common GIS software platforms, describe the principal sources of GIS data, and explain the importance of data quality and metadata. 1.1 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 1.1.1 Definition, nature, and scope of GIS Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is an integrated system of hardware, software, data, people, and procedures designed to capture, store, manage, analyse, and display all forms of geographically referenced information. Unlike a simple digital map, which merely displays spatial features, a GIS links every spatial feature to an attribute table a database of descriptive information enabling users to query, analyse, and model spatial relationships. The nature of GIS is integrative: it brings together geography, database management, and analytical computing into a single working environment. The scope of GIS extends from small-scale site analysis to national and continental datasets. A GIS can answer questions such as: Where is the nearest water main to a proposed development? Which residential areas fall within a 500-metre flood risk zone? How has land use in a city changed over 20 years? GIS may be classified by its operational context. Desktop GIS (such as ArcGIS Pro and QGIS) runs on a workstation and provides full analytical capabilities. Web GIS delivers map and analysis services through a browser, enabling wider distribution of spatial information to non-specialist users. Mobile GIS applications support field data collection and real-time spatial queries on handheld devices. Fill in the blank: Unlike a simple digital map, GIS links spatial features to an __________ table that stores descriptive information about each feature.

LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS Short description: Diagram illustrating the five components of a GIS: hardware, software, data, people, and procedures, arranged to show how they interact within a complete GIS system. Figure 1.1 The five components of a GIS and their interrelationships 1.1.2 GIS and related technologies: distinctions and relationships GIS is frequently confused with related but distinct technologies. Understanding the differences and relationships is essential for professional practice. • GIS and CAD (Computer-Aided Design): CAD is used to produce precise technical drawings of individual structures and engineering components. It represents geometry without geographic coordinates or attribute databases. GIS, by contrast, positions all features in geographic space and links them to queryable databases. CAD data can be imported into GIS once it has been georeferenced. • GIS and Remote Sensing: Remote sensing collects data about the Earth's surface from sensors mounted on aircraft or satellites. The imagery and data produced by remote sensing are among the most important inputs to a GIS, providing current land cover, terrain elevation, and change detection data that cannot easily be collected by field survey alone. • GIS and GPS: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based system that determines the precise geographic coordinates latitude, longitude, and elevation of points on the Earth's surface. GPS provides the field data collection capability that feeds locational information into a GIS database. • GIS and Database Management Systems (DBMS): GIS relies on DBMS technology to store and manage the attribute data linked to spatial features. Modern GIS platforms such as ArcGIS and QGIS use spatial database engines including PostgreSQL/PostGIS to manage large, multi-user datasets.

LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS Fill in the blank: GPS technology determines precise geographic __________ of points on the Earth's surface and provides field data collection capability for GIS. 1.1.3 Applications of GIS in urban and regional planning GIS has become an indispensable tool in urban and regional planning practice. Its capacity to integrate, analyse, and visualise large volumes of spatially referenced data makes it applicable across every stage of the planning process. • Land use mapping and management: GIS enables planners to map current land use, monitor changes over time, and assess compliance with approved development plans. • Infrastructure planning: Road networks, utility corridors, drainage systems, and public facilities can be mapped, modelled, and optimised using GIS network analysis tools. • Environmental assessment: GIS supports environmental impact analysis by overlaying proposed development footprints with environmental sensitivity maps, flood zones, and protected areas. • Population and demographic analysis: Census and survey data can be spatially disaggregated to analyse population distribution, density, access to services, and patterns of growth. • Development control: Planning applications can be assessed against zoning plans and land use policies held in a GIS database, improving the consistency and transparency of decisions. • Disaster risk management: GIS is used to map hazard zones, model evacuation routes, and coordinate emergency response a growing priority in flood-prone and rapidly urbanising areas of Nigeria. Fill in the blank: GIS supports environmental impact analysis by overlaying proposed development areas with environmental sensitivity maps and __________ zones. Pilot questions 1.1 1. Define GIS and state two ways in which it differs from a simple digital map. 2. Distinguish between GIS and CAD, explaining the primary function of each. 3. State three applications of GIS in urban and regional planning. 4. Fill in the blank: GPS technology determines precise geographic __________ of points on the Earth's surface and provides field data collection capability for GIS. 1.2 Components of a GIS 1.2.1 Hardware components of a GIS GIS hardware comprises all the physical devices used to input, process, store, and output spatial data. A GIS installation may range from a single workstation to a networked enterprise system serving many simultaneous users. Input devices collect and transfer data into the GIS environment:

LA-NET | ONLINE LEARNING VIDEO PLATFORM FOR POST-SECONDARY & HIGHER INSTITUTION STUDENTS • GPS receivers: Handheld or vehicle-mounted GPS units collect precise point, line, and area coordinates in the field for direct import into GIS. • Digitizing tablets: A digitizer (or digitising tablet) is a flat electronic board used to trace features from paper maps and convert them into digital vector coordinates. • Scanners: Flatbed and drum scanners convert paper maps and aerial photographs into digital raster images for georeferencing and analysis. •

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