Geographical Data

Provides a comprehensive overview of the characteristics relatingto remote sensing, cartography, censuses/surveys andadministrative/statutory. Presents up-to-date information in thisremarkable growth area, with clear explanations of the problems andpitfalls as well as the potentiality of analysing geographicaldata.

An ideal book for both those already confident with GIS technology,and the novice user.
* Covers spatial and thematic worldwide geographical data

* Exemplifies the problems and pitfalls of using geographical data

* Provides introductory details of GIS without the need for aseparate text

* Refers to the latest internet sources

* Covers geographical data relating to the environmental and humandomains

* Focuses on digital geographical data Preface.

Acknowledgements.

Abbreviations List.

Part 1 Geographical Data

Geographical Phenomena and Geographical Data

Generic Problems of Data

Accessibility and Availability of Geographical Data

Part 2 Characteristics and Review of Secondary Sources

Remotely Sensed Data

Cartographic Data

Censuses and Surveys

Adminstrative and Statutory Data

International Comparison of Geographical Data Sources

Part 3 Secondary Analysis

Examples of Geographical Data Analysis

Future Developments in Geographical Data

Bibliography

Appendix: Household Form in the 2001 UK Census of Population.

Subject Index. "...well conceived and contains much useful reference material..." (Int Journal of Geographical Information Science, January/February 2003)

Nigel Walford has taught Geographical Information Systems courses at Kingston University for 12 years and previously worked in the Data Archive at Essex University. He graduated from the University of Sussex and did his postgraduate work at the University of London. His thematic research interests relate mainly to rural issues and include agriculture, land use planning and population. Recent book publications include Geographical Data Analysis (John Wiley & Sons) and Reshaping the Countryside: Perceptions and Processes of Rural Change (CAB International) as well as several journal articles in Health and Place, Geography, Planning Practice and Research, Applied Geography and International Journal of Population Geography. Geographical Data: Characteristics and Sources represents a response to the remarkable growth in the volume of geographical data in recent years, especially in the amount captured directly into a digital format. Information and communication technologies are now the basis for analysing, handling and visualising data about the Earth's surface, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) provide the tools for performing these tasks within the public, private and educational sectors. This book focuses on the principle sources of geographical data and provides a comprehensive overview of their characteristics and analytical capabilities.

Geographical Data: Characteristics and Sources is a unique text in several ways:

• Details the characteristics of spatial and thematic geographical data relating to the environmental and human domains. These types of data are remotely sensed, cartographic, census/survey, and administrative/statutory
• Highlights the benefits and drawbacks of using geographical data
• Focuses on the availability of digital (rather than analogue) geo-referenced datasets
• Presents a comparative development of spatial data frameworks from countries across the world in Australasia, Asia, Europe and North America
• Looks to future developments in Internet-based GIS, online access and potential new sources of geographical data.

Geographical Data: Characteristics and Sources is intended for professionals within the administrative, commercial, educational, governmental and voluntary sectors, and academic users of GIS technology who want to branch out into new applications involving unfamiliar data sources. It also provides novice users with a guide to the complexities of geographical data.