Ethiopia

Addis Ababa University

Department in focus:

The department of geography is under Arts Faculty. The department offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Presently there is a movement to make GIS strong in the department. As a result new courses are planned to add in the curriculum. Postgraduate students are already started the GIS courses. While undergraduate students are on process to start.

Key courses for spatially referenced information technologies:

Geog 201- Introduction to Landform Geography (3)

Structure of the earth, materials of the earth's crust. Major rock types and rock forming minerals and elements. Land forming process: tectonics, volcanic and gradational processes: fluvial processes and resulting surface forms in general and that of Ethiopia in particular. The significance of these processes and resulting features. (Lecture 3 hrs. lab 1 hr. fieldwork included).

Geog 222-Introduction to Cartography

Aspect of cartography - Interpretation of maps and charts. Properties of map projections. The drawing of maps and presentation of statistical data on maps using different methods.

Geog 231 Introduction to surveying

Surveying techniques with considerable emphasis on fieldwork. Chain Surveying, Plane table Surveying, Compass Surveying, use of theodolite, Levels, Sextrant.

Geog 242 Terrain Analysis

Properties, and classification or classes of Landforms (genertic, topographic classification, etc.); drainage patterns (evolution and resulting terrain); morphometric study of terrain (relief, slope, drainage basin, stream network analysis); representation of service forms and interpretation of medium scale (1:50,000) toposheet of Ethiopia; functional aspect of terrain influence on landuse, land cover, etc. (Lecture 2 hrs., Lab 3 hrs, Field work included).

Geog 301 Elements of Aerial Photo Interpretation and Photogrammetry

Basic principles of photo interpretation and photogrammetry: general principles of aerial photography, geometry of aerial photography, geometry of aerial photography, basic techniques of image interpretation, simple methods of transfering planimetric details from aerial photographs, introductory principles of stereo-plotting machines.

Geog 323 - Map reading and Interpretations

Maps: definition, Classification and uses

• Contours: Spacing and patterns, Gradient, Slope types, intervisiblity, profiles and Relief Features by contours.
• Numbering System of (1) international sheets (1:1,000,000) (2) Topographical sheets of Ethiopia (1:250,000 and 1:50,000) Marginal information on the topographical sheet with special reference to symbols.
• Study and interpretation of Typical Topographical sheets (1:50,000) of Ethiopia (high lands, Rift valley, Arid/semi Arid Regions, coastal Regions) with reference to physical and cultural attributes like settlement distribution (rural and urban), transport lines, canals, agricultural lands, etc. and their probable correlation with landforms.
• An insight into the proposals for development projects: such as (a) site selection for settlement (rural and urban); Dams, Bridges etc. (b) laying out of roads, railways etc.
• Preparation and interpretation of Distribution maps (qualitative, quantitative, Transport maps (Isochrones, Accessibility, Traffic flow etc.

Geog 331 Analysis of spatial pattern I

Impact of quantitative revolution in geography. Analysis of POINT AND LAND distribution patterns. Anaysis of settlement, climatic and transport data - network and central point analysis. Aerial patterns - discrete, contineous, techniques of correlation, similarity and contrast, sampling.

Geog 332 Analysis of Spatial Pattern II

Sampling - point, line, area, producers, designs. Estimates from sample counts standard errors. Hypothesis  testing-null hypothesis, binomial test, t test, Mann-whitness test. Correlation, multiple - regression. Spatial models simulation, gravity and mathematical slope models.

3 cr. hours: 2 lecture and 3 laboratory hours (Replaces Geog 332: Analysis of Spatial Pattern II)

This course, as a basis and tool for spatial data and geographic information handling in computer based information systems, addresses conceptual and technical issues in GIS methods of representing terrain objects and surfaces. The main objective is to familiarize students with computer assisted spatial data handling techniques, major components of GIS and spatial data modeling. The course contents are: concepts, definitions and illustration of GIS potential with real world examples, components of GIS (overview of data inputs, data storage and retrieval, data analysis/ manipulation and data outputs), nature of spatial data (structures, relationships and digital representation of spatial objects and continuos surfaces), spatial data modeling (vector and tessellation) and attribute data modeling, and operational considerations (hardware and processing environment including vector and/or raster based GIS systems).

• Geog. 432: GIS Functions for Spatial Data Analysis and Manipulation

3 cr. hours: 2 lecture and 3 laboratory hours (Replaces Geog 452: Applied Economic Geology)

This course, as a basis and tool for digital spatial data analysis and manipulation, addresses conceptual and technical issues in GIS methods of organizing, transforming, maintaining and analyzing spatial features and related attribute data. The main objective are to explain students with functions of GIS and familiarize them with establishing spatial database, performing cartographic and spatial analysis and presentation using simple but powerful GIS software such as Arc View. The course contents are organizing spatial and non-spatial data for analysis, spatial data transformation (format and geometric including georeferencing, map projections and coordinate transformations). Maintenance and analysis of spatial data (basic operations on points, lines, areas and surfaces and positional error corrections), non-spatial data (attribute editing and querying) and methods of integrated analysis of spatial and non-spatial data (retrieval, classification, generalization, overlay and basic neighborhood and connectivity analysis) and presentation.

3 cr. hours: 2 lecture and 3 laboratory hours (Replaces Geog 503: Cartographic and Aerial Photo Interpretation)

This course, as a basis and tool for establishment and enhancement of spatial database and cartographic visualization, addresses theoretical and technical issues in GIS methods of spatial data capturing, integration and quality assurance and database implementation. The main objectives is to familiarize students with different types spatial data inputs and their sources, integration techniques and establish a spatial database that can be used to generate different types geographical information. The course includes: GIS Processing Line (overview types and sources of spatial input data, data capturing, organizing, analyzing and output devices), data acquisition from existing graphic documents, Global Positioning Systems (GPS), remote sensing (types of remote sensing data, digital image processing and applications of digital satellite imagery and products of aerial photography). Spatial data integration, analysis and cartographic visualization and data quality issues and major phases in implementing GIS.

• Geog. 508: Advanced GIS- Applications Issues in GIS

3 cr. hours: 2 lecture and 3 laboratory hours (Replaces Geog 601: Regional Planning of Ethiopia as a core course)

This course, as a basis and supportive tool for resource exploration, inventory and monitoring, developing environmental modeling and mapping at various levels, address both technical and organizational issues. The course as a whole illustrate an approach to using geographic data and to deriving geographic information that can be used as input for decision-making processes in solving varied types of developmental problems. The thoughts that shall be given will be aimed at preparing the students in using the available GIS methods and modeling techniques to varied types of environmental applications. The course includes overview of GIS capabilities and application areas in GIS, advanced GIS functions and environmental modeling (Digital Terrain Modeling (DTM), spatial decision support system, and generalization of spatial database, methods of spatial interpolation. It also includes group based case studies in most relevant applications areas - Socio economic applications (Land Information Systems, Utilities Management, Census Map Production and Related Analysis), Management Applications (Urban GIS, Land Resource and Integrated Planning), Environmental Applications (Soil Information Systems, etc.)

• Installed Hardware (See Slide 12: Table 1)
• 7 PCs (4 - 100 MHZ, 3- 133 MHZ), only 4 with UPS & 5 are Connected with Network
• 4 Digitizer (3- A3 size, 1- A0 Size), 2 Magellan X- 10 GPS (Complete set)
• Plotter (A1 color), Epson ___ (A3), Laser Jet (A4), Canon (A4)
• Audio Video set (2)

• Multi-copies Standalone GIS Software (ARCVIEW, IDRISI, SURFUR, MDSD, etc.)
• Single-copy Standalone GIS Software (ARCINFO, Auto Cad, MAPINFO, etc.)
• Utility Programs (Windows 95, Winzip, etc.)
• Documentation
• manuals for each lab exercises (5 copies)
• Software manuals - no copies for students

• PCs accommodate a maximum of 3-7 students at a time
• Digitizers accommodate a max. of 3-4 students at a time
• GPSs accommodate a maximum of 2-4 students at a time
• Plotter- only demonstration of map printouts on display or board
• At the moment only ARCVIEW, IDRISIW, Surfur can be used for lab exercises
• Other software packages are incomplete (no manual, not easy, single user) & thus used only for demonstration
• A total of 21 students/session during data analysis, presentations, attribute data entry and demonstrations

A total of 12 students/session during digital spatial data capture