Thoughts on the integration of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Technology
3. Developing almost in parallel with remote sensing technology, GIS technology has only become an efficient and vital tool fro fighting resource and environmental problems since fast, large capacity computers and remotes sensing data as multiple sources for updating baseline data in the GIS systems is currently applied to computerized information acquisition, storage, processing, modelling, analysis, information synthesis and specifically designed for handling geographically referenced spatial data and the corresponding attribute information. The capability of integrating different data sources through spatial modelling in an operation commonly known as co-registration is one of the most important functions in a computerized GIS .
4. Resource planning and management face more and more problems due to the scarcity of our natural resources the degradation of the environment and the global population explosion minerals energy water soils land uses urban areas climate plants animals people and the ways in which they interact are the key issues in the developing countries of the region .resolving these issues in the developing countries of the region .these issues requires the collection analysis and dissemination of massive amounts of different kinds of information .In practice this information is either presented as attribute data such as statistics or as geographic data from a variety of maps and remotely sensed imagery as well the task of resource planners managers and decision makers is to compare and combine selected pieces of information in order to come up with optimal solutions thanks of technology development GIS technology has proven to be able to assist in providing timely as well as appropriate information of decision making however the advantages of such are yet to be realized and used by developing countries where optimal planning is deemed essential.
5. Some developing member countries of the ESCAP region have come forward to initiate GIS in their national natural resources and environment management programmes .These efforts include among others the Agro Climatologically Monitoring system in Bangladesh the natural land resources in China the National Natural Resource Management system in India the National Mapping and resource information authority of the Philippines the land Evaluation system of Malaysia of natural Planning System in Sri Lanka and the change Monitoring of natural Resources System in Thailand those countries that as well just starting it intimate GIS programmers and those regional as well as international organizations and agencies that are interested in promoting GIS in the ESCAP region may concern a great deal by undertaking investigations and studies on the status of the technolo0gy in the region .
6. From an organizational point of view most GIS in this region were built in remote sensing related organizations where the infrastructure especially the main frame computer and data acquisition facilities as well and presentation facilities as well as image processing equipment already existed Moreover remote sensing data as an important source for updating GIS information are generally easy to access the physical integration of organization involved in remote sensing and geographic information systems technology has already shown certain advantages in terms of sharing technological. institutional administrative human and financial resources the developing countries in the region should seriously look in to the integration of remote sensing and GIS what ever it is appropriate so as to avoid repetitive in facilities commonly used by both technology sectors.
