Research Trends of OpenStreetMap Activities as Volunteered Geographic Information

This paper reviews 1,813 academic articles on OpenStreetMap (OSM) published between 2008 and 2022, primarily in geographic information science. The study highlights OSM’s significant impact on participatory GIS research and its diverse applications beyond spatial analysis. A text analysis of the abstracts identified 10 key research topics using 100 OSM-related keywords. These topics include: (1) spatial analysis and data quality assessment, (2) system development, (3) community building and humanitarian efforts, and (4) applied research in areas like healthcare. The review reveals the multifaceted nature of OSM studies and their wide-ranging practical applications. Based on these findings, the paper suggests potential directions for future research in this field.