A Deep Dive into OpenStreetMap Research Since its Inception (2008-2024): Contributors, Topics, and Future Trends

TL;DR

This paper systematically maps the OpenStreetMap (OSM) research landscape from 2008–2024 by integrating bibliometric analysis of 1,926 Web of Science records with 782 SotM presentations. It identifies a growth trajectory and a stable core of contributors, while topics shift from data quality to advanced analytics, AI, and applications, revealing six emerging research directions. A complementary SotM analysis contrasts practitioner-driven discussions with academic work, showing topics often appear earlier in the community than in scholarly literature by about 2.8 years. The study highlights evolving roles among academia, the OSM community, and industry, and calls for more reciprocal collaboration, transparent governance, and inclusive data practices as OSM moves toward data-rich, AI-enabled future applications. The accompanying data and code are publicly available at https://github.com/ya0-sun/OSMbib, supporting reproducibility and ongoing monitoring of OSM’s research trajectory.

Abstract

OpenStreetMap (OSM) has transitioned from a pioneering volunteered geographic information (VGI) project into a global, multi-disciplinary research nexus. This study presents a bibliometric and systematic analysis of the OSM research landscape, examining its development trajectory and key driving forces. By evaluating 1,926 publications from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection and 782 State of the Map (SotM) presentations up to June 2024, we quantify publication growth, collaboration patterns, and thematic evolution. Results demonstrate simultaneous consolidation and diversification within the field. While a stable core of contributors continues to anchor OSM research, themes have shifted from initial concerns over data production and quality toward advanced analytical and applied uses. Comparative analysis of OSM-related research in WoS and SotM reveals distinct but complementary agendas between scholars and the OSM community. Building on these findings, we identify six emerging research directions and discuss how evolving partnerships among academia, the OSM community, and industry are poised to shape the future of OSM research. This study establishes a structured reference for understanding the state of OSM studies and offers strategic pathways for navigating its future trajectory.The data and code are available at https://github.com/ya0-sun/OSMbib.

Figures (11)

• Figure 1: Methodology overview for analyzing WoS collection.
• Figure 2: Annual scientific production of OSM research (WoS core collection) with the trending line from 2008 to June 2024. The data for 2024 includes publications up to the study’s cutoff date of June 30, 2024. The search was conducted on July 11, 2024.
• Figure 3: Top-Authors' Productivity over Time, Number of Total Articles, and Authors' affiliations over time. Institutions are color-coded as shown on the right. The data for 2024 includes publications up to the study’s cutoff date of June 30, 2024. The search was conducted on July 11, 2024.
• Figure 4: Annual rankings of countries by OSM research output from 2008 to June of 2024, featuring flags with circular charts indicating each country’s publication percentage of the total annual output. The blue line chart in the background illustrates the total number of publications each year.
• Figure 5: Organizations' Co-Authorship Network. 67 organizations are selected with a minimum threshold of 10 documents. The top 5 clusters are labeled. Interactive version can be accessed here .