At each level of government - federal, state, regional, and local - clearinghouses exist to store GIS data for distribution. Clearinghouse data is free at the higher levels of government.
Data.gov is a geoportal meaning it includes data, news, references, a community forum, and interactive data viewer. This website connects to U.S Federal Executive Branch dataset including state, city and agency data. Geospatial Platform has been made which is like gapminder. You can combine variables to create maps. U.S Geological Survey, LiDAR, ASTER, MODIS, AVHRR, Landsat, Landsat ETM+, SRTM, Digital line graphs, National Hydorgraphy Dataset, National Aerial Photography program, are all USGS providers of data. U.S Census Bureau offers data from the TIGER/LINE, Master Address File/Topologically Intergrated Geographic Encoding and Referencing, have data on boundaries. KML is a new type of files that are used for Google Maps/Earth. Other federal clearinghouses are provided by Natural Resources Conservation Services, public data from states, metropolitans, and counties. Private companies provide data, even GIS software companies provide data like esri.
When looking for data "pay attention to metadata and data exchange methods. Metadata provide information such as datum and coordinate system about the data, and data exchange methods allow data to be converted from one format to another.
Creation of data.
GIS - The Undergrad Edition
My name is Chris, and I am an Undergraduate Student blogging about what I learning in different courses. There will be a day when I will return to these blogs to look back on what I learned as an Undergrad. But for now, without further adieu, let me welcome you to GIS 101.
