Geography’s hotspots and frontiers: Diverse, systematic, and intelligent trends

• Geographical research hotspots are analyzed from the 35th IGC and 2024 AAG–AM. • Nine key frontier areas in geography are identified as key research themes. • International collaboration fosters diverse perspectives in geographical research. • GeoAI and deep learning are emerging as key tools for environmental sustainability. • Interdisciplinary methods are increasingly used to explore the Earth's system. Based on the frequency of themes covered at the 35th International Geographical Congress (IGC) and the 2024 American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting (AAG-AM), we present an integrated analysis of current research hotspots in geography. The interdisciplinary approach of geography in tackling global challenges, including climate change, urbanization, and sustainable development is highlighted. Hotspot analysis of the 35th IGC reveals the prominence of “Tourism, Leisure, and Global Change,” and “Urban Geography” as key themes, whereas the 2024 AAG-AM placed more emphasis on “GeoAI and deep learning,” and “Geospatial Data Science for Sustainability.” Frontier analysis, based on emerging research beyond the two conferences, highlights major critical issues being confronted by geographers, notably Earth's surface systems, spatial patterns of human activities, intelligent remote sensing, climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, hazards and disaster risk, planetary boundaries, coupled human and natural systems, and global and regional sustainability. The analysis demonstrates that geographical research is becoming more diverse and systematic, and artificial intelligence technology is increasingly being harnessed. This not only reflects specific regional interests and priorities but also shows the dynamic development of geographical research and its important role in dealing with the challenges of the 21st century.