The use of geographic information systems (GIS)  In mapping the population in the province of Qadisiyah

Abstract

Cartography is one of the basic foundations of geography because without it geography loses an important tool of expression. So, it's very essential for the geographer to draw attention to learn, read and understand maps.The desire of studying cartography is growing accompanied by increasing scientific and technical development which arrived recently to discover the (GIS) that become one of the basic means of cartography.In this research, I used some of GIS programs to produce maps of population for Al-Qadisya governorate with regards to 2007 estimation.This research contained a group of maps which deal inhabited places of spatial, percentage numerical, environmental and physical distribution as well as relative distribution of environmental, relative distribution of the actual density of province.It also attained to final conclusion, one of which; is the importance of using GIS of the geographical studies generally and the population studies cartographic specially, and to some instance it emphasize on the rule op maps. Population studies that prepared by GIS can't achieve their desire objectives without a user familiar with this technique to the basic rules of cartography. The study also showed some of the impact of natural and human factors on the settlement patterns.