Evolution, density and completeness of OpenStreetMap road networks in developing countries: The case of Iran

Abstract

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a volunteered platform designed to provide up-to-date and freely available geographic information data. OSM is known as one of the most extensively used instances of Crowdsourcing Geographic Data (CSGD)/Crowdsourced Geographic Information (CGI), Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), or the Neogeography paradigm. Economically, OSM development can be beneficial for governments, especially in developing countries such as Iran, where financial support is limited. This paper analyzes the spatial pattern, evolution, density, and diversity of OSM road (OSMr) networks in Iran between 2008 and 2016 and looks to find casual relations between the OSM and census statistics. This is due to the fact that OSMr completeness reflects the importance of OSM data in human life. The diversity of OSM roads further reflects the concerns, requirements, and worthiness of clients about different roads’ information. The results show that the road network in Iran considerably increased from 2008 to 2016, with road length increasing to 489,400 km in 2016 from 4300 km in 2008. In addition, road density grew while road diversity and evenness declined, which could be due to an increase in main roads. These results propose a more considerable need for a more comprehensive approach using VGI to supplement gaps in authoritative data in developing countries.