Review: Cartography: challenges and potential in the virtual geographic environments era

The author analyzed previous development and current state of the art of cartography on the background of latest scientific results coming with improvement of virtual geographic environments. Cartography has been influenced by development of information and communication technologies and geographical thinking. The strongest and most visible contemporary streams in cartography and geographic information systems are the existence and use of Web 2.0, which supports Web-based services for many people all around the world and fast development of crowd-sourcing allowing collection of voluntary information. The author deals with the current position of cartography which is influenced by progressively new environment, especially realization of idea of spatial information infrastructures through projects such as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security, Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe or Shared Environmental Information System, and others. New achievements of ubiquitous cartography, especially adaptive and context mapping are overviewed as well. The article also highlights virtual environments and explains immersive, perception, and interaction aspects. Basics of neo-geography and volunteer geographic information are also described. The core of this article includes analyses, ideas, and considerations of cartographical challenges in virtual geographic environment era. The author delimits the so-called inner and outer development of cartography. The former deals with selective aspects of contemporary cartography development, such as user interface and cartographic generalization streams. The latter deals with development of three-dimensional maps and models in cartography, new and still hypothetical investigations of recognition, and possible use of cognitive styles in cartography. The last part of the article is devoted to the role of cartography in realization of the concepts of spatially enabled society and digital earth.