Geographic Information System (GIS) Day

GIS

Today, November 18, 2020,  marks the Geographic Information System (GIS) Day. This is a day set aside to celebrate the technology that has come to affect every aspect of our lives. This is from our GPS systems to Google Maps, GIS systems are integrated into everything. They serve to make our lives easier every single day.

Thanks to this amazing science, we are able to have our deliveries made on time. Get straight to the house of a new friend without getting lost. The technology is truly amazing.

A Geographic Information System is designed to manage all of the information involved with interpreting and present geographical data.

GIS Day was established in 1999 by Esri President and Co-Founder Jack Dangermond. It has been a tremendous advancement in the GIS especially in data acquisition, processing, and analysis.

2020 THEME

This year’s theme is ‘Mapping for greater good’. The aim is to achieve fast and effective techniques in providing accurate and reliable information for decision making today, tomorrow, and in the near future.

As Mark Jenkins would say “maps encourage boldness” so is this year’s GIS day theme. The boldness comes out as much information is made available to various stakeholders, governments, private sector, and individuals to inform future plans and usage of natural resources and sustainable development.

How to celebrate

You can celebrate this day researching all the ways this incredible technology has affected our lives. Take a trip to somewhere you’ve never been, using a GPS system to guide you. Research the topography of campgrounds and mountains around your area. You can also try to see how an area has changed over the years.

To the adventurous individual, you can participate in a past-time known as geo-caching. Geo-caching is the hunting down little caches of secrets stored by fellow geo-cachers. The caches can be secret messages scrawled on a piece of wood hidden under a rock. A weather-sealed container stuffed inside a hollow trunk. This can be a superb activity to celebrate the day.

Share your thoughts on how you are or can celebrate the day with us.

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