Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computer-based framework designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of spatial or geographical data.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate each stated objective of a GIS:
- (A) Maximizing the efficiency of planning and decision-making: Correct.
GIS integrates spatial data with attribute data to perform complex spatial queries and modeling, helping urban planners, agriculturalists, and disaster managers make highly informed, rapid decisions.
- (B) Providing efficient means for data distribution and handling: Correct.
It provides structured databases and web-mapping services that simplify spatial data sharing, retrieval, and visualization.
- (C) Elimination of redundant database - minimize duplication: Correct.
By establishing centralized geodatabases with standardized relational formats, GIS eliminates redundant, fragmented datasets and minimizes data duplication.
- (D) Capacity to integrate information from many sources: Correct.
A major strength of GIS is its ability to overlay diverse spatial layers (satellite images, soil maps, demographic data, elevation models) derived from different sources into a single, unified coordinate reference system.
Therefore, all four statements are core, valid objectives of a GIS.
This corresponds to Option (C).
Step 4: Final Answer:
The objectives of GIS are (A), (B), (C) and (D).