spatial

Spatial is an adjective used to describe anything relating to space, including physical space, distance, direction, and the arrangement of objects within an area. The term comes from Latin spatium, meaning space or interval, and its usage spans multiple disciplines.

In geography and cartography, spatial describes phenomena in relation to location on Earth's surface. Spatial analysis examines patterns of where things occur, how close they are to each other, and how proximity influences processes. In geographic information systems (GIS), spatial data capture the position of features as points, lines, or polygons (vector) or as continuous raster cells. Spatial queries, buffering, overlays, and interpolation are common techniques.

In mathematics and computer science, spatial refers to properties of space in geometry and topology, and to representations of space in software and databases. Spatial databases store location-aware data and support spatial queries. Computer graphics and robotics rely on spatial reasoning to model, navigate, and interact with the environment.

In statistics, spatial statistics study spatial patterns and dependence, using measures such as spatial autocorrelation and variograms to understand how data are correlated over distance.

In cognitive science and design, spatial cognition concerns how people perceive, remember, and navigate space. Spatial organization in architecture and urban planning shapes movement, function, and experience of space.