Referencedgeographic

Referencedgeographic is a term used in geographic information systems (GIS) and related fields to describe data or objects that are identified by their spatial location rather than by a unique identifier. This means that the primary way to reference and interact with a piece of data is through its position on a map or in a coordinate system.

In a referencedgeographic context, a feature might be a specific point, line, or polygon defined by latitude and longitude coordinates, or by projected coordinates within a defined map projection. Instead of looking up a feature by its ID number in a database, one might query the database by drawing a bounding box on a map or by specifying a radius around a particular coordinate. This approach is fundamental to how spatial queries are performed.

Examples of referencedgeographic data include satellite imagery, aerial photographs, elevation models, and cadastral maps where the exact location and shape of features are paramount. When analyzing spatial relationships, such as proximity or overlap between features, the referencedgeographic nature of the data is crucial for performing these operations accurately. The system relies on a robust geodetic datum and coordinate system to ensure that spatial references are consistent and meaningful.