Which type of data is represented as a grid of pixels in GIS?

Raster data is a type of data that is represented as a grid of pixels in GIS. Each pixel in a raster dataset corresponds to a specific value that represents information such as temperature, elevation, or land cover. The grid structure allows for efficient storage and processing of data that is continuous in nature, such as satellite imagery or aerial photography.

Unlike vector data, which is represented by points, lines, and polygons that describe discrete objects, raster data is particularly suited for representing phenomena that vary continuously across a landscape. This makes it an indispensable format for analyses that require information about spatial variation, such as environmental modeling or landscape analysis.

Tabular data, on the other hand, typically organizes information in rows and columns but does not include spatial attributes in the same format as raster and vector data. Spatial data encompasses a broader category that includes both raster and vector types, but it does not specifically describe the pixel grid arrangement inherent to raster datasets. Thus, raster data is uniquely defined by its pixel-based grid structure.