Regional European Geographic Information System (REGIS), 1870-2020
A GIS Database for Thematic Mapping and Analysis
- Open Access
- 2026
- Open Access
- Buch
- Verfasst von
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Jürgen Schweikart
Jürgen Schweikart
- Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Technology, Berlin, Germany
-
Jordi Martí-Henneberg
Jordi Martí-Henneberg
- University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
-
Jonas Pieper
Jonas Pieper
- Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Technology, Berlin, Germany
-
Mateu Morillas-Torné
Mateu Morillas-Torné
- University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
-
Bennet Schulte
Bennet Schulte
- Berlin University of Applied Sciences and Technology, Berlin, Germany
- Buchreihe
- SpringerBriefs in Geography
- Verlag
- Springer Nature Switzerland
Über dieses Buch
Dieser frei zugängliche SpringerBrief begleitet und erklärt einen umfassenden GIS-Datensatz, der sowohl die Außen- als auch die internen Verwaltungsgrenzen der heutigen 27 EU-Mitgliedsstaaten, des Vereinigten Königreichs, der EFTA-Mitgliedsstaaten (Island, Liechtenstein, Norwegen und die Schweiz) sowie der Länder, aus denen Jugoslawien und Albanien bestanden, für den Zeitraum von 1870 bis 2020 nachzeichnet. Der Datensatz stellt das erste Geodatenpaket dar, das vollständige und systematische Informationen über Veränderungen an europäischen Grenzen auf regionaler Ebene bereitstellt. Gemeinsam ermöglichen Buch und Datensatz es Anwendern auf allen Ebenen der Fachkompetenz, standardisierte GIS-Tools zur Erstellung regionaler Karten zu verwenden. Detaillierte Kenntnisse dieser regionalen Transformationen bilden eine solide Grundlage für die Untersuchung der kulturellen und politischen Heterogenität Europas und seiner historischen Entwicklung. Diese Ressource ist besonders wertvoll für Akademiker und Sekundarschullehrer, die in Bereichen wie Geschichte, Geographie, Soziologie und Europastudien arbeiten.
Mit KI übersetzt
Über dieses Buch
This open-access SpringerBrief accompanies and explains a comprehensive GIS dataset that traces both the external and internal administrative borders of the current 27 EU member states, the United Kingdom, the EFTA member states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), as well as the countries that formerly constituted Yugoslavia and Albania, covering the period from 1870 to 2020. The dataset represents the first geospatial data package to provide complete and systematic information on changes in European borders at the regional level.
Together, the book and dataset enable users at all levels of expertise to use standard GIS tools to generate regional maps. Detailed knowledge of these regional transformations provides a solid foundation for examining Europe’s cultural and political heterogeneity and its historical development. This resource is particularly valuable for academics and secondary school teachers working in fields such as history, geography, sociology, and European studies.
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Inhaltsverzeichnis
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1. Introduction
- Open Access
PDF-Version jetzt herunterladenAbstractBetween 1870 and 2020, Europe’s territorial development was shaped by border shifts, state formation, and regional integration. Understanding these changes requires both theoretical models and empirical, spatially precise data. Regional European Geographic Information System (REGIS) addresses previous gaps in historical GIS by providing detailed, consistent digital maps of administrative boundaries over time. It enables the analysis of long-term regional trends despite varying national border changes, using census data as a key reference. The database supports comparative and diachronic studies across Europe and facilitates integration of socioeconomic indicators into historical maps. However, full spatial–temporal continuity remains challenging, especially at the municipal level. REGIS thus lays the groundwork for future historical GIS development and promotes interdisciplinary research into Europe's territorial, demographic, and economic history. -
2. Methodological Approach
- Open Access
PDF-Version jetzt herunterladenAbstractHistorical cartographic data sources are often not readily available and require research, editing, and maintenance to be used in a scholarly context. This chapter describes the sources of the REGIS data, the editorial choices made in their preparation and presentation, and the technical background to their storage and processing. It also explains the need to generalize the boundary geometries and provides two different datasets for this purpose. The process of generalization is also demonstrated. -
3. Structure of the REGIS Dataset
- Open Access
PDF-Version jetzt herunterladenAbstractThis chapter outlines the structure and content of the datasets provided (REGIS and REThM, see Supplementary). They are categorized by national affiliation, administrative level, and time period. The study area, along with the states and regions included in the dataset, is presented. Additionally, the chapter explains the hierarchical structure of territorial organization and discusses the temporal periodization. The attribute data contained in the geospatial datasets are detailed, and the download structure is described. -
4. Use of the REGIS and REThM Data
- Open Access
PDF-Version jetzt herunterladenAbstractThe REGIS and REThM data provide a valuable basis for geospatial analysis, even for users new to GIS. This chapter demonstrates how these datasets can be applied in research and teaching through practical examples. In historical research, REGIS and REThM enable the visualization of administrative boundaries over time, facilitating comparative studies. In education, the data support interactive learning, allowing students to explore spatial relationships and thematic mapping. By integrating external datasets, users can analyze socioeconomic trends or demographic changes. Through some step-by-step guidance and practical application examples, this chapter highlights the potential of REGIS/REThM for enhancing GIS-based research and teaching. -
5. Conclusion
- Open Access
PDF-Version jetzt herunterladenAbstractThis study highlights the potential of digitally modeling historical administrative boundaries for historical–geographical research. The REGIS and REThM databases provide a standardized framework for analyzing Europe’s territorial transformations between 1870 and 2020 across multiple spatial scales. By integrating historical census and administrative data, the system enables diachronic and comparative analyses of socioeconomic and demographic change. The approach combines GIS-based generalization and geometry harmonization to ensure analytical consistency.
- Titel
- Regional European Geographic Information System (REGIS), 1870-2020
- Verfasst von
-
Jürgen Schweikart
Jordi Martí-Henneberg
Jonas Pieper
Mateu Morillas-Torné
Bennet Schulte
- Copyright-Jahr
- 2026
- Verlag
- Springer Nature Switzerland
- Electronic ISBN
- 978-3-032-14932-9
- Print ISBN
- 978-3-032-14931-2
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-14932-9
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