What is GIS? Geographic Information Systems, or GIS, provide a powerful new set of tools for spatial analysis of regional data.
Environmental Setting-North Carolina The state of North Carolina contains 52,672 sq. mi. (136,420 sq. km), and stretches over 503 miles (809 km) from the Outer Banks on the Atlantic coast in the east to the Great Smokey Mountains in the west. The maximum north-south distance is 187 mi. (301 km). It is 28th in area in the U.S. The population of the state is over 8.1 million, ranking 11th in the nation.
The state comprises 100 counties within three general physiographic provinces: the Atlantic coastal plain in the east, the central Piedmont plateau, and Appalachian Mountains in the west (Figure 3). The coastal plain comprises some 45% of the state, and the entire area averages only 19 feet (6 meters) in elevation. The Piedmont plateau constitutes about 38% of the state and is characterized by gently rolling, forested hills. The far western region of the state consists of the southern extension of the Appalachian mountain system, including the parallel, northeast-to-southwest trending Blue Ridge in the east and Great Smokey Mountains in the west, along with the associated high intermontaine plateaus and valleys. The mountains comprise approximately 17% of the state. Mount Mitchell in Yancey County rises 6,684 feet (2,037 meters) above sea level, the highest point east of the Mississippi River. Over 200 mountains rise 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) or more.
The state consists of all or parts of 15 major watershed basins.
It takes a total of 971 USGS 1:24,000 quad sheets to cover the state. Fortunately, North Carolina has an excellent existing state GIS database residing with the North Carolina Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA). The North Carolina Corporate Geographic Database is an organized collection of strategic geographic datasets supported by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, universities, and the private sector. This is a statewide information resource intended for widespread accessibility. It is administered by the NCGIA under the guidance of the North Carolina Geographic Information Coordinating Council (GICC). These data will be used in the initial GIS analysis.
