Journal profile · Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth-Surface Processes
KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information
ISSN 2524-4957 · eISSN 2524-4965 · Springer Nature · 4 issues per year
KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information: subscription journal; APC about USD 3,190; median 60 days to acceptance (37 articles, last 24 months); 27 articles in 2025; indexed in Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information is published by Springer Nature. By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Geographic Information Systems Studies, Historical Geography and Cartography and 3D Modeling in Geospatial Applications, together about 69.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Geography, Planning and Development. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
KN – Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information is committed to advancing theoretical, applied, and empirical approaches in cartography and geovisualization. It views cartography as science, arts and technological discipline, dedicated to the analysis, visualization, and communication of spatial information. Cartography bridges diverse domains and methodologies. It forms an interdisciplinary field within the spatial and geosciences. The journal aims to serve as a leading international platform for the dissemination of high-quality, original research and advancements in the field of cartography and geographic visualization. It welcomes contributions in the form of original research articles and review papers that advance the understanding and practice of cartography. The scope of the journal encompasses the theory, methods, and applications of cartographic science, covering a broad spectrum of topics, including but not limited to: Cartographic Design and Visualization: Innovations in map design, interactive mapping, and visualization techniques for spatial data 3D Visualization, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): Development and use of 3D models, AR, and virtual reality (VR) in spatial representation Cognitive Cartography: Exploration of how individuals and groups perceive, interpret, and interact with maps, including studies on spatial cognition, mental mapping, and the influence of map design on user understanding and decision-making Cartography and Artificial Intelligence (AI): Application of AI, machine learning, and deep learning techniques in map creation, spatial analysis, and cartographic generalization Cartographic Generalization and Automation: Algorithms and techniques for the automated production and generalization of maps Geovisualization and Big Data: Techniques for visualizing large and complex geospatial datasets Web Cartography and Mobile Mapping: Advancements in web-based mapping and mobile mapping applications Thematic and Topographic Mapping: Development and refinement of thematic and topographic maps across various disciplines Theoretical Cartography: Exploration of foundational theories, conceptual models, and the philosophical perspectives of cartography as a scientific discipline Historical and Cultural Cartography: Studies on the evolution of cartographic practices and the cultural impact of maps Cartographic Education and User Experience: Research on teaching cartography, user-centered design, and the cognitive
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth-Surface Processes
Editor-in-chief Dennis EdlerPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 2%); most named Germany 20, Switzerland 3, Italy 2, Spain 2, Netherlands 2 (43 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Geographic Information Systems StudiesSocial Sciences30.9%
- Historical Geography and CartographySocial Sciences27.7%
- 3D Modeling in Geospatial ApplicationsEngineering10.6%
- Historical Geography and Geographical ThoughtSocial Sciences9.5%
- Data Visualization and AnalyticsComputer Science4.1%
- Geography Education and PedagogySocial Sciences3.6%
- Geography and Environmental StudiesEnvironmental Science1.7%
- Biographical and Historical AnalysisArts and Humanities1.6%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
CiteScore quartiles (Scopus, June 2026 release)
| Subject | Quartile | Rank | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) | Q2 | 63/194 | 67th |
| Earth-Surface Processes | Q2 | 60/184 | 67th |
| Computers in Earth Sciences | Q2 | 30/76 | 61st |
Scopus ranks journals by CiteScore within each subject: the 75th percentile and above is Q1, then a quartile every 25 points. A different system from the CAS zones.LetPub
Database indexing
ScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Astrophysics Data System, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS, Semantic ScholarPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.8LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.38LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.87LetPub ·
- h-index
- 28OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 85OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.17OpenAlex ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 0%LetPub ·
Volume
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 142,900Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,794 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 20 | 19 | 368 |
| 2025 | 27 | 25 | 430 |
| 2024 | 23 | 21 | 529 |
| 2023 | 30 | 24 | 439 |
| 2022 | 33 | 27 | 417 |
| 2021 | 27 | 23 | 292 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
61 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 48 days – 103 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 21 days (49 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 91 days
- Sample
- 38 articles with submission and acceptance dates (53 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Submission to first decision
- 14 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Subscription journalLetPub
A subscription journal: articles are read by subscription or purchase, and authors usually pay no publication charge.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,190 / EUR 2,590 / GBP 2,290 | — | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Author–date
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted1
- editorialThis journal is guided by the Springer Portfolio editorial peer review policy. The following types of contribution to this journal are peer-reviewed: Articles, …Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Open access
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Disclosures and declarations
All authors are requested to include information regarding sources of funding, financial or non-financial interests, study-specific approval by the appropriate ethics committee for research involving humans and/or animals, informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved animals (as appropriate). The decision whether such …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 4 issues per year
- ISSN
- 2524-4957
- Electronic ISSN
- 2524-4965
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 76, Issue 2 (June 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information
How long does peer review take at KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information?
Based on the dates recorded on 37 articles published between November 2024 and November 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 60 days (interquartile range 48–114 days). Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Author–date; Suggested reviewers: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information based?
Of the 43 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 2%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (20), Switzerland (3) and Italy (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information is indexed in Scopus.
Is KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information open access, and what is the APC?
KN - Journal of Cartography and Geographic Information is a subscription journal. APC about USD 3,190.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .