GIS-Based Borderlands Modeling and Understanding: A Perspective

Borderland regions are special areas and deserve more attention in global sustainable development. Reliable geo-information and effective analysis tools are requested to support borderlands studies through the integrated utilization of geospatial analysis, web service, as well as the other domain-specific expertise. This paper has reviewed the state-of-the-art of geospatial information sciences, (GIS)-based borderlands modeling, and understanding. From the perspective of GIS, integrated data modeling, comprehensive analysis, and collaborative information service are identified as the three major challenges in this filed. A research agenda is further proposed with four topics, i.e., classification and representation of borderland information, derivation of neighborhood information, development of synergetic analysis, and design and development of a geo-portal for borderlands studies. This interdisciplinary study requires a closer and in-depth collaboration of geopolitics, international relation, geography and geo-spatial information sciences.