In GIS  one can see the  convergence of technological fields and traditional disciplines. GIS has been called an "enabling technology" because of the potential it offers for the wide variety of disciplines which must deal with spatial data . Each related field provides some of the techniques which make up GIS. Many of these related fields emphasize data collection  and  GIS brings them together by  providing a platform for  integration, modeling and analysis  of these data.

The  following  are  the various fields/disciplines  contributing to this  emerging technology :
 
 

Geography ::

•  Concepts concerning the notions of space and time applicable at geographical scales and in particular the spatial and temporal relations among the entities and phenomana of the world. 
• An array of methods for spatial analysis and spatial perspective on research.

Cartography :

• Concerned with the display of spatial information.
• Currently the main source of input data for GIS is maps.
• Provides the techniques and methods  in the design of maps which is an important form of output from GIS .
• Computer cartography (also called "digital cartography", "automated cartography") provides methods for digital representation and manipulation of cartographic features and methods of visualization

Remote Sensing : 

• Major source of geographical data 
• Many GIS  have  sophisticated  techniques for data acquisition and processing of  stellite imegry and arial photographs. 
• Interpreted data from a remote sensing system can be merged with other data layers in a GIS .

Photogrammetry :

•   Using aerial photographs, setellite imegery and techniques for making accurate measurements from them, photogrammetry is the source of most data on topography (ground surface elevations) used for input to GIS 

Surveying :

•   Provides high quality data on positions of land boundaries, buildings, etc. 

Geodesy 

•        Source of high accuracy positional control for GIS .

Statistics

•        Many models built using GIS are statistical in nature, many statistical techniques used for analysis 
•       Statistics is important in understanding issues of error and uncertainty in GIS data 

Operations Research :

•        Many applications of GIS require use of optimizing techniques for decision-making 

Computer Science  :

•    Computer-aided design (CAD) provides software, techniques for data input, display and  visualization, representation, particularly in 3 dimensions 
•   Advances in computer graphics provide hardware, software for handling and displaying graphic objects, techniques of visualization 
•   Database management systems (DBMS) contribute methods for representing data in digital form, procedures for system design and handling large volumes of data, particularly acces and update 
•   Artificial intelligence (AI) uses the computer to make choices based on available data in a way that is seen to emulate human intelligence and decision-making - computer can act as an"expert" in such functions as designing maps, generalizing map features  although GIS has yet to take full advantage of AI, AI already provides methods and techniques for system design 

Mathematics  :

•   Several branches of mathematics, especially geometry and graph theory, are used in GIS system design and analysis of spatial data 

Civil Engineering 

•        GIS has many applications in transportation, urban engineering