Search Results (115)

In the literature on map projections, we regularly encounter the name standard parallel or standard parallels. However, it is obvious that a unique definition of a standard parallel is not universally accepted. To fully clarify the meaning of standard parallels, the author proposes the notion of equidistantly mapped parallels, which has not been common in the literature so far. Equidistantly mapped parallels can be in the direction of the parallel or in the direction of the meridian. Here, it is shown that every standard parallel is also an equidistantly mapped parallel, but that the reverse need not be true. If the parallel is mapped equidistantly in the direction of the parallel, then its length in the projection plane is equal to the length of that parallel on the sphere. The opposite does not have to be true, i.e., if the length of the image of the parallel in the projection plane is equal to the length of the parallel on the sphere, this does not mean that the parallel was mapped equidistantly. In addition to standard and equidistant parallels, the concept of parallels of true length also appears in the theory of map projections. They should also be distinguished from standard and equidistant parallels. Full article

Backpackers are an unusual category of travellers. Their unique mobility patterns, spatial practices, and the areas they travel through expose them to health situations that remain largely unexplored to date. This article conducts a narrative literature review (across six different databases in English and French) in this domain and highlights key contributions. The results show that backpackers frequently experience health problems during their trips. They are described as being more at risk than other tourists and more inclined to adopt harmful behaviours. However, the majority of related studies lack contextualisation, which is an advantage of geographical analysis. Moreover, given the limited volume of the existing literature, this review serves as an invitation to geographers to delve deeper into this intriguing field. Full article

The over 2200 lakes of Mongolia are generally poorly studied, particularly the glacial lakes. This overview study presents a classification of the glacial lakes based on tectonic-geological and geomorphological dynamics. Selected representative lakes are described using results from fieldwork and satellite image analysis, including bathymetry, paleoshorelines, and recent lake-level fluctuations between 1987 and 2020. Generally, lake levels dropped from the early Holocene until recently, with the onset of the climate change-driven glacier recession that has resulted in lake-level rises and area expansion in almost all moraine-dammed, tongue-basin, and ice-contact lakes. In contrast, endorheic lakes have mainly been shrinking for the past forty years because of an increase in air temperature and evaporation rates and the effects of an intensifying water use within the catchment for irrigation, mining, and hydroelectric energy production in the form of dams. The creation of a lake monitoring system based on an in-depth inventory is recommended. Full article

Depopulation is caused by low fertility rates and out-migration, and it applies to countries, regions and smaller areas. Rural depopulation is defined as a sharp population decline that falls well below an adequate population size and indicates that an area has lost its demographic reproductive capacity. This paper discusses the socioeconomic and territorial aspects of rural depopulation, attempting to do justice to the spatial dimensions of the phenomenon. Greece exhibits all the symptoms of demographic transition, leading to labour shortages, declining economic productivity, and increasing demands on the health and welfare system. The study on rural depopulation in Greece focuses on the changes and dynamics observed at the municipal and regional levels. A typology has been developed to identify rural communities in Greece. The main source of demographic data for our study is the Greek censuses (1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021). Demographic and socioeconomic trends in Greece are interlinked and show different regional and local dynamics. Rural depopulation is closely related to the study of (international and internal) migration, even though the latter does not provide a permanent solution to depopulation. An empirical analysis has shown that there is a need to revitalise rural areas through socioeconomic improvements, infrastructure investments, and policies that directly impact rural communities. Full article

The inefficiency of transporting goods contributes to reduced economic growth and environmental sustainability in a country. Autonomous trucks (ATs) are emerging as a solution, but the imbalance in the weight moved and ton-miles produced by long-haul and short-haul trucking creates a challenge in targeting initial deployments. This study offers a unique solution by presenting a robust method that combines data mining and geographic information systems (GISs) to identify the optimal routes for ATs based on a top-down approach to maximize business benefits. Demonstrated in a U.S. case study, this method revealed that despite accounting for only 16% of the weight moved, long-haul trucking produced 56% of the ton-miles, implying a high potential for ATs in this segment. The method identified eight key freight zones in five U.S. states that accounted for 27% of the long-haul weight and suggested optimal routes for initial AT deployment. Interstate 45 emerged as a pivotal route in the shortest paths among these freight zones. This suggests that stakeholders should seek to prioritize funding for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance along that route and the other routes identified. The findings will potentially benefit a broad range of stakeholders. Companies can strategically focus resources to achieve maximum market share, regulators can streamline policymaking to facilitate AT adoption while ensuring public safety, and transportation agencies can better plan infrastructure upgrades and maintenance. Users globally can apply the methodological framework as a reliable tool for decision-making about where to initially deploy ATs. Full article

In this article we explore the text of the over 16,000 historical markers erected in the state since 1936, using GIS and corpus linguistics to determine the where, how, what, and when of how Texas memorializes its racial and ethnic groups. Unsurprisingly, our results indicate that the story of Texas is implicitly a narrative of white people. More interestingly, the term “African (Americans)” begins to be commemorated especially after the 1990s, but only in stories of community, religion, school, and children, as Texas historical markers do not to dwell on narratives of slavery, the civil rights movement, and lynchings. “Indians” and “Mexicans” in the 1930s and 1960s exemplify the most egregious case of derogatory semantics we found in the markers. As concerns racial and ethnic groups, in general they tend to be memorialized where they were historically present, whether or not such groups are still there. The analysis also reveals the increasing concentration of the markers in urban areas. Full article

Web Geographic Information Systems (WebGISs) were widely used to monitor COVID-19 cases and deaths during the pandemic. Furthermore, geotechnologies were also very useful in education, public management, tourism, and other areas. Although there are WebGISs with a high level of sophistication, most are simple, consisting of geovisualizers of cases, deaths, and vaccinations. This study develops a WebGIS that offers information about age, comorbidities, and tests, which can be analyzed from specific points such as hospitals, main access roads, regions, or neighborhoods. Although it is not a highly sophisticated solution, the WebGIS developed in this study is especially useful for municipal governments in developing countries like Brazil that do not have patient health data in geographic databases. The WebGIS developed in this study offers public managers essential information for developing effective public policies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and other epidemiological phenomena such as dengue and malaria. Full article

The Moesian Platform represents a major tectonic unit of the foreland of the Carpathians and Balkans, spanning across the southern part of Romania and the northern part of Bulgaria. Although the Moesian Platform is considered to be a stable tectonic unit, it has played a significant role in the geological history of the region, influencing the development of the surrounding Carpathian and Balkan mountain ranges, making it an area of interest for studying tectonic history, geological structures, and landscape evolution. In the southern part of the Moesian Platform in Romania, delineated to the north and to the east by the steep slopes of the Argeş River valley and to the south by the steep slopes of the Danube River valley, an elevated and W–E promontory-looking geomorphological feature identified by the local inhabitants as “hill” is distinct from the neighbouring flat relief of the Romanian plain. This study is the result of a comprehensive investigation into the geomorphological features and neotectonic structures within this region. An intriguing outcrop displaying a filled fault, cutting and displacing the Quaternary sedimentary formations of the recently named Argeş Promontory, shed light on recent tectonic activities that have influenced the landscape. By integrating field observations, geological, and tectonic data, as well as satellite geodetic data, our results contribute to a better understanding of the study area’s regional geodynamics, emphasizing the significant role of tectonic activity in shaping the present-day landscape. Full article

Township tourism has become more varied, offering a wider range of products, experiences and services. In this paper, we examine residents and stakeholders’ opinions on township tourism in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa; an area characterised by crime, unemployment, housing backlogs and poverty. Using a qualitative approach, this paper reports on empirical evidence conducted with key tourism stakeholders to understand some of their perceptions regarding township tourism development in Langa. Concerns about safety, poor infrastructure and a lack of interaction between tourists and the local community are raised by Langa residents and community leaders. Their dissatisfaction with tour guides and tour routes serves as a reminder of the need for more inclusive practices. While business owners are aware of the potential of tourism in promoting cross-cultural dialogue, deepening understanding and creating priceless experiences, they are constrained by perceptions of crime, a lack of tourist exposure to local establishments and the exclusion from decision-making processes. Despite these difficulties that township tourism faces, it is crucial to promote ethical tourism practices that put emphasis on genuine encounters and local community empowerment. Full article

The detection and monitoring of changes in land use and land cover play a crucial role in understanding land degradation and are fundamental to preserving agroecosystems. Their association with hydrological information allows essential responses to changes in hydrological patterns to be identified, contributing to water security in watersheds. Therefore, this study aimed to assess spatio-temporal dynamics and physico-hydrological trends in rainfall, runoff and land use in the Paraíba watershed. The study was conducted in the Paraíba watershed, using land use data and information from pluviometric and fluviometric stations with temporal series of more than 30 years. The Mann-Kendall statistical test was adopted to verify trends. Results indicate annual reduction trends for both native forest area and water bodies in the Paraíba watershed. On the other hand, the area designated for agriculture showed a significant increase. The correlation analysis between water bodies and forests (R² = 0.63) highlights a strong association between the decrease in forest area and the reduction in water availability, influencing the decrease in annual flow. These results serve as a warning to expand water resource management for the region, aiming to preserve and to enhance sustainable use. Therefore, the implementation of conservation measures, monitoring procedures, and adequate management is required to face the challenges imposed by climate change and land use and occupation, ensuring the water availability for the future. Full article

This paper aims to outline a framework for reviewing the issues faced by tourism destination planning in the 21st century. This paper documents the use of tourism destination typologies as a framework for policy analysis and as a basis for decision making. The main research hypothesis of this study is that typologies based on, or primarily focused on, geographical dimensions have historically been the appropriate framework for strategic planning. This study proposes the use of a basic geographical typology, according to which destinations are categorized into urban, island, coastal, and mountainous. This paper refers to the evolution, key features, and challenges faced by each type of destination. Through a review of international best practices, this study maps out the fundamental objectives, developmental patterns, and strategies for each geographical type of destination, offering valuable insights for future research. Emphasis is given to contemporary trends in tourism planning in the first few decades of the 21st century. Full article

Dengue is a serious infectious disease worldwide and a climate-sensitive disease. Thus, our goals were to (i) evaluate the relationship between dengue incidence and meteorological variables (rainfall and air temperature); (ii) identify the spatiotemporal pattern of dengue incidence in the municipalities of Mato Grosso from 2001 to 2020; and (iii) verify the spatial dependence of dengue incidence in the dry and wet seasons. We used dengue data from 2001 to 2020, monthly rainfall estimates from GPM, and daily air temperature estimates from ERA-5. The municipalities of the Mato Grosso state are included in 16 healthcare territories. The seasonal rainfall pattern indicates that the peak of the dengue endemic occurred in the wet season. However, drier and/or warmer places had a lower incidence of dengue in the dry season. Furthermore, a lagged effect of meteorological variables on dengue incidence has been identified, ranging from 0 to 7 months. Hotspot areas were identified which might have the potential for an intense spreading of dengue in Mato Grosso. They were mainly concentrated in the healthcare territory of Teles Pires (ID 14) in the dry season, while they were concentrated in the healthcare territories of Garças Araguaia (ID 5), Oeste (ID 11), and Teles Pires (ID 14) in the wet season. In addition, they are located in the Am climate and in the Amazon Forest and Brazilian savanna biomes, which have higher dengue incidence values. These results help to highlight which municipalities decision-makers must intervene in the public health system to prevent and control future epidemics. Full article

During the COVID-19 pandemic, regions were affected by a combination of economic crises: weak demand and constrained supply. Several studies have sought to analyse the heterogeneous effects of supply and demand shocks on the labour market, economic growth, and the environment. This study has a different focus, estimating both direct and indirect effects of demand and supply shocks adopted during the pandemic in Brazil and Chile. Afterwards, the paper compares the degree of regional absorption (leakage) of income resulting from each of these shocks, applying an interregional input–output model for each country. The results of this study show that income absorption by the poorest regions is relatively greater in the case of a supply shock. It can be said, therefore, that this type of shock improves the retention of income generated in the poorest regions, favouring the development of these localities and the reduction in regional inequalities. The main reason for this result is that supply policies have restricted essential sectors to a lesser extent, and these sectors are generally less concentrated in large urban centres in both Brazil and Chile. In other words, much of the interregional leakage is driven by the demand for non-essential products, mainly in the richest urban economy centres. Finally, the geographical dimension of regional inequalities leads to the economic benefit of prosperous areas in the country when shocks occur in vulnerable regions, highlighting the centre–periphery pattern in both countries. Full article