Which type of query retrieves records based on spatial relationships or attributes?

The retrieval of records based on spatial relationships or attributes is best performed by a spatial query. Spatial queries are specifically designed to handle the unique complexities of geographic data by evaluating spatial relationships between different datasets, such as distance, containment, intersection, and proximity.

For instance, a spatial query could be used to find all points of interest within a specific distance from a certain location, or to identify which geographic features overlap with a defined area. These capabilities are essential in many applications such as urban planning, environmental analysis, and resource management, where understanding the spatial arrangement of data is critical.

Other types of queries, such as text queries, focus on non-spatial attributes and string search capabilities, while aggregate queries deal with summarizing data across multiple records, and join queries combine data from multiple tables based on related attributes. However, they do not inherently manage or evaluate spatial relationships, making them less appropriate for tasks specifically centered on geographic data management.