In GIS, which term is used to describe data relating to physical locations on the Earth's surface?

The term used to describe data relating to physical locations on the Earth's surface is spatial data. This type of data is crucial in GIS as it defines the geographic context of the information being analyzed. Spatial data encompasses the coordinates, shapes, and geographic features that specify where an object or phenomenon exists in a physical space.

For instance, spatial data might include the latitude and longitude of a point, the boundary shapes of a country, or the paths of rivers. This data is integral to various GIS applications, such as mapping, urban planning, resource management, and environmental monitoring, as it allows for the visualization and analysis of relationships between different geographic elements.

In contrast, attribute data refers to the descriptive information about spatial features but does not provide location information itself. Non-spatial data contains information that is not tied to a geographic location, such as demographic statistics. Categorical data is a type of attribute data that represents characteristics or grouped classifications but also lacks a direct spatial reference. Therefore, spatial data is distinct and specifically relates to the physical representation of data on the Earth’s surface.