We live in a world full of various relationships that can be analyzed in functional, temporal, or spatial contexts. Spatial relationships are of particular interest when it comes to GIS, because here objects in space are represented in a way that facilitates explanations and analyses of their geographic relations. Suitability analysis is a fundamental part of GIS analysis that answers the question, "Where is the best place for something to be located?" In this chapter, you will be exposed to the fundamentals of suitability analysis through the search for the best place to live in. You will learn how to:
interpret spatial relationships between objects
express these relationships through spatial data
analyze spatial data according to a set of predefined criteria
overlap layers and interpret the results
Before starting with this chapter, some essentials of suitability analysis and types of spatial relationships between objects will be explained...