Using cadastral maps in historical GIS research: the French Concession in Shanghai (1931–1941)

Abstract

As a valuable source for historical research, cadastral maps have been useful in historical Geographic Information Systems (GIS) research. This article takes the cadastral maps of the French Concession in Shanghai (1931–1941) as an example to reconstruct the spatial distribution and changes of landowners' real estate, tracking nationalities, land value and parcel splitting/merging, and to explore the spatial correlation with the population, commercial shops and land value by combining the socio-economic data during this period. We argue that the use of a data-enriched historical cadastre offers a unique vantage point to understand the spatial and economic dynamics at work in the French Concession. This example highlights the need for accurate and integral historical data and how these play a decisive role in the process of the historical reconstruction in historical GIS.