Geoinformation

Geoinformation is information about geographic phenomena that can be located in space. It encompasses data that describe where something is, what it is, and how it relates to other objects in the world. It is used to produce maps, perform spatial analysis, and support decision making across many sectors. It is stored and managed in geospatial databases and analyzed with geographic information systems.

Geospatial data come in vector and raster formats. Vector data represent discrete features with geometry such as points, lines, and polygons; raster data represent continuous surfaces. Data can be acquired from satellites, aerial imagery, ground surveys, GNSS, lidar, and increasingly, crowdsourced observations. Geoinformation relies on coordinate reference systems and metadata to ensure accurate positioning and context.

Standards and interoperability are essential. The ISO 191xx family defines concepts for geographic information; the Open Geospatial Consortium develops web services and formats such as WMS, WFS, and GML to enable data sharing. Metadata describes data quality, lineage, licensing, and updates.

Applications include urban planning, environmental management, transportation, disaster response, agriculture, public health, and cultural heritage. Challenges include data quality, privacy, data integration across scales, and keeping data current. Developments in sensors, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence continue to expand the use and sophistication of geoinformation.