GIS Day

Categories:: Special Interest
Tags:: Career Environment Technology
Where:: International
Date change rule:: Third Wednesday of November
Holiday emoji:: 🗺️

GIS Day gathers geography lovers and tech enthusiasts every third Wednesday of November to celebrate Geographic Information Systems. This powerful technology captures, analyzes, and visualizes location data to inform better decisions. Explore the real-world contributions of GIS, learn about its applications, and discover how you can get involved in this dynamic field.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
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Expected GIS Day Deals

For GIS Day, expect a range of educational and professional opportunities rather than consumer deals. Leading GIS software providers like Esri often offer free webinars, online workshops, and temporary discounts on training courses. Universities and colleges may host open houses or virtual seminars showcasing their GIS programs. Professional organizations such as the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association (URISA) and the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) frequently organize local events, networking sessions, and student competitions. Look for free data sets or trial access to specialized mapping tools from companies like Mapbox or Google Earth Engine. We will update this page with confirmed live events and resources as November 18 approaches.

Platform Guide for GIS Day

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #GISDay. Share career insights, project successes, and networking opportunities within the GIS community.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #GISDay. Join live discussions, share innovative GIS applications, and highlight significant advancements in geospatial technology.

YouTube

Subscribe to @NationalToday for holiday video content. Create tutorials, showcase mapping projects, or interview GIS professionals to inspire others.

GIS Day Hero

Roger Tomlinson

Often hailed as the 'Father of GIS,' Roger Tomlinson (1933–2014) was a British-Canadian geographer who conceived and developed the first computerized Geographic Information System in the 1960s. His pioneering work for the Canada Land Inventory laid the groundwork for modern GIS, revolutionizing how spatial data is managed and analyzed. His vision transformed geography into a powerful tool for environmental planning and resource management globally.

History of GIS Day

The first-ever GIS Day was held on November 19, 1999, during the Geography Awareness Week held during the same year. Geography Awareness Week has been held every November since 1987 and it is during this week that GIS day typically occurs.

GIS Day was famously inspired by American activist and lawyer, Ralph Nader, who believed it would be a great way for people, especially those in the grassroots, to learn about geography and GIS technology.

While GIS Day was first bought up by Ralph Nader, he wasn’t the one who put it into action. The first GIS Day was organized by the National Geographic Society (NatGeo) and the Association of American Geographers (AAG). Apart from NatGeo and AAG, some of the original sponsors of GIS Day included the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science, United States Geological Survey, Hewlett-Packard, and spatial analytics leader, Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute).

Today, GIS Day is celebrated by over 100,000 people around the world. The events of the day provide international recognition and awareness of GIS technology and the ways its real-world applications are making a difference in society. People can explore “The Living Atlas;” the highest spatial resolution ecological land unit map the world has ever seen.

GIS was first developed in 1962 by Dr. Roger Tomlinson, who introduced geographic information systems to the Canada Land Inventory. Roger is quoted as saying “The early days of GIS were very lonely. No one knew what it meant. My work has been missionary work of the hardest kind.”

Well, GIS certainly isn’t lonely today, thanks to the efforts of many pioneers such as Dr. Roger Tomlinson.

GIS Day timeline

1962

GIS Emerges

Dr. Roger Tomlinson’s work with Canada Land Inventory in 1962 is seen as the dawn of GIS.

December 1, 1965

The Term “Geographic Information Systems” is Coined

The earliest published reference to GIS is by two scholars at the University of Illinois.

July 23, 1972

The First Landsat Satellite is Launched

The launching of the first Landsat satellite launches the start of continuous earth monitoring.

May 5, 2007

Google Street View Launches

The street view program with panoramic street-level imagery for mobile devices is rolled out in the U.S.

GIS Day FAQs

When is GIS Day?

GIS Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 18, inviting professionals and enthusiasts alike to explore the power of geographic information systems. It’s a prime opportunity to connect with the global GIS community.

What is GIS used for?

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used across countless sectors, from urban planning and environmental monitoring to public health and disaster management. In 2026, GIS continues to be vital for analyzing spatial data to solve complex real-world problems, such as predicting flood zones or optimizing logistics.

How many people work in GIS?

The global GIS market is experiencing significant growth, with hundreds of thousands of professionals employed in various roles, including cartographers, geospatial analysts, and data scientists. In 2026, the demand for skilled GIS practitioners continues to rise across government, private industry, and academia.

Is GIS a growing career field?

Yes, GIS is very much a growing career field. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for geographers and cartographers, with many other roles requiring GIS skills. In 2026, industries like environmental consulting, urban planning, and defense are actively seeking GIS professionals.

How to Celebrate GIS Day

Spread the word
GIS Day is the perfect day to spread the gospel of GIS technology and its life-changing real-world applications to other people around the world. You can give a lecture or presentation about GIS, share your work with your family, host a GIS Day event, and write a blog, or even a song, about the GIS technology that you love so much.
Go Geocaching
For the newbies, geocaching is a scavenger hunt-style game you can play using a GPS receiver. Go on an adventure tracking down hidden items at obscure spots. Bring out your inner Lara Croft and go treasure hunting on GIS Day.
Join a GIS Story Map competition
On GIS Day, you can be a storyteller. Just submit a GIS Story Map to any of the StoryMap competitions around the world, such as the ArcGIS StoryMaps Competition for Sustainable Development Goals.

5 Fun Facts About GIS

It was first used in 1832
Before Dr. Roger Tomlinson’s popular work with GIS in 1962, Charles Picquet used spatial analysis, in the first documented use of GIS, to visually track the cholera outbreak in Paris.
It has saved lives
A physician, John Snow discovered that cholera was spread through water by using Picquet’s method to track cholera cases in London and develop a hypothesis about the disease.
The first satellite image was taken by the U.S.
On August 14, 1959, the United States of America took the first-ever satellite image in the world. It was an image of Mexico and the Pacific Ocean.
It brought us Blue Marble
The infamous Blue Marble is one of the most reproduced images in history — a picture of the Earth that was taken by the Apollo 17 crew on December 7, 1962.
It’s not just for Earth
GIS isn’t just used to observe the Earth, this technology has also been used to map out the surface of Mars, which paved the way for the first rovers to land on the red planet.

Why We Love GIS Day

More people need to be involved with GIS
GIS technology is amazing and yet too few people know about or are interested in it. GIS Day presents a perfect opportunity to get more people interested in GIS and perhaps inspire the next generation of GIS users and developers.
We need to celebrate our GIS legends
GIS Day is the perfect day to shine a light on the achievements of GIS warriors both past and present. You can share the works of some GIS legends or give a well-deserved brag about your own accomplishments using GIS technology.
GIS takes treasure hunts a step further
It’s not geeky to admit it — treasure hunts are awesome. We love GIS Day because GIS technology takes traditional maps a step further and reveals previously unknown truths about the world. We can find obscure places and discover hidden truths by using GIS. Talk about a treasure hunt.