Ghina Syafina Syahrani

05211940000142

GIS: Google Earth.

A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and
displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface. GIS can show many different kinds of data on one
map, such as streets, buildings, and vegetation. This enables people to more easily see, analyze, and
understand patterns and relationships.

Google Earth is arguably the most well-known and widely used Geographic Information System
(GIS) software available. It enables individuals to create, store, view, and interact with data as it relates to
location. With its multipurpose design and expansive toolset, the software targets a diverse user-base
spanning education, government, real estate, media, insurance, and construction, as well as a loyal set of
private consumers.

As a mainstay to meet navigation needs, Google has reportedly collected images covering almost
all areas of the world. Google is claimed to have mapped more than 98% of the earth's population. Reporting
from CNet on Monday (12/16/2019), Google reportedly has collected more than 16.09 million kilometers
of images to map the earth that can be accessed through the Google view feature. The distance is practically
the same as circling the earth 400 times. Also, Google Earth, which records the earth through satellites, has
recorded the earth more than 36 million square miles or the equivalent of 57.9 million kilometers of the
earth's surface which includes areas where there are human populations. Thus, only a few areas of human
habitation that has not been touched by the Google Earth satellite.

With the new release of Google Earth learning about our planet has become a lot more interesting
and fun too. The program is a free web-based application that creates a virtual Earth from satellite pictures
of every part of the globe. Users can zoom in on city blocks, rainforests or even motorways. The first
version of Google Earth was released in 2005. In the past years, it has been downloaded about 500 million
times.

In earlier versions of the software, users were only able to view the surface of our planet. Water
was seen upon as only a dull blue surface. Google Earth 5.0 changes that.

During two years of hard work, Google’s developers have improved the program. Now it is possible
to explore the oceans and the sky. It even includes a globe of the planet Mars. The company has also added
other content like videos, photos and audio clips.

The content covers a wide range of topics. If you click on Hawaii, for example, you cannot only
see satellite images of the islands but also learn about humpback whales. Clicking on a part of the Atlantic
Ocean will bring forth images and videos of sunken ships like the Titanic.

With this content, Google wants to show us how important it is to understand the world’s ocean
and how we are connected with them.