ISO/IEC 13249-3:2011 defines spatial user-defined types, routines and schemas for generic spatial data handling. It addresses the need to store, manage and retrieve information based on aspects of spatial data such as geometry, location and topology.

Implementations of ISO/IEC 13249-3:2011 may exist in environments that also support geographic information, decision support, data mining, and data warehousing systems. Application areas addressed by implementations of ISO/IEC 13249-3:2011 include, but are not restricted to, automated mapping, desktop mapping, facilities management, geoengineering, graphics, location-based services, terrain modelling, multimedia, and resource management applications.