Final answer:
GIS is used in Earth's geography for mapping landforms, locating borders, and analyzing precise locations, with one of the major applications being site location analysis for businesses and government planning.
Step-by-step explanation:
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are heavily utilized in studying Earth's geography for a variety of purposes. GIS is used for mapping landforms, locating borders, analyzing precise locations, and understanding climate among other uses. In the context of business, one significant application of GIS is site location analysis. Retail giants like McDonald's and Wal-Mart leverage GIS to select optimal locations for their retail and warehousing operations based on a myriad of factors such as traffic patterns, real estate costs, and the socio-economic profiles of potential customers.
Additionally, GIS enables the integration of various maps, facilitating analysis and decision-making. For government agencies, GIS is crucial for planning infrastructure like schools or emergency services, taking into account factors like zoning laws, economic competition, and demographics. The versatility of GIS renders it an essential tool for modern geographers, akin to a "lightsaber" as it allows for sophisticated spatial analyses and problem-solving.