What is an example of an attribute in a GIS dataset?

An attribute in a GIS dataset refers to descriptive information that provides additional details about a particular geographic feature. In this context, population density and land use type serve as specific examples of attributes that describe characteristics of spatial features.

For instance, population density quantifies how many people reside in a specific area, which is crucial for urban planning and resource allocation. Similarly, land use type categorizes the purpose for which a certain piece of land is utilized, be it residential, commercial, agricultural, or recreational. This information is essential for analyzing patterns, planning developments, and making informed decisions based on how land is used within a geographic area.

In contrast, geographic coordinates serve as the location identifiers for features rather than descriptive attributes. Weather conditions are dynamic and can vary frequently, making them more of a temporal dataset than a static attribute of a geographic feature, whereas access routes to facilities pertain more to network data than to characteristics of the features themselves. Therefore, population density and land use type are the definitive examples of attributes within a GIS dataset.