The Development of a Database Management in GIS Applications in Oman

Abstract

The development of applying database management applications is currently underway within Geographical Information Systems (GIS) applications in the Sultanate of Oman.The establishment of a national database management system in Oman is considered as the backbone that is required within the Geographic Information System project in Oman. The principal of the GIS project in Oman was built upon unifying the used software packages over the sultanate which is ARC/INFO as GIS Package and ORACLE as database management software. These packages are used within the different participating Ministries in the GIS project in Oman.The participating ministries will handle information that are shared between them. The shared information among the different ministries is the attributed data which is defined as descriptive information extracted from geographic features that usually existed on the topographic maps and the ministries maps (utility maps). The map features can be classified into different layers according to the principles of ARC/INFO GIS Package. Accordingly, the main objectives of this research paper is to explain the technique proposed for establishing a national database management system that can handle and manage the shared information amongst the participating ministries in the project. The proposed database design will be made using the ORACLE database management system. Moreover, the paper will handle a proposed idea for linking the geographic map layers with the corresponding attributed database in order to create Geographic Information System applications. As a Conclusion, it is Proposed that all the government GIS departments in the Sultanate will share the same information within a unique national database management which can be considered one of the major benefits in applying database management in the field of Geographic Information Systems.