{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,3]],"date-time":"2025-10-03T12:41:29Z","timestamp":1759495289253,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,3]],"date-time":"2025-10-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1759449600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.mdpi.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["IJGI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The increasing demand for high-quality geospatial visualizations in scientific publications has highlighted the need for accessible and standardized tools that support reproducible research. Researchers from various disciplines\u2014often without expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS)\u2014frequently require a map figure to locate their study area. This paper presents the Study Area Map Generator, a web-based application developed using Shiny for Python, designed to automate the creation of country- and city-level study area maps. The tool integrates geospatial data processing, cartographic rendering, and user-friendly customization features within a browser-based interface. It enables users\u2014regardless of GIS proficiency\u2014to generate publication-ready maps with customizable titles, basemaps, and inset views. A usability survey involving 92 participants from diverse professional and geographic-based backgrounds revealed high levels of satisfaction, ease of use, and perceived usefulness, with no significant differences across GIS experience levels. The application has already been adopted in academic and policy contexts, particularly in low-resource settings, demonstrating its potential to democratize access to cartographic tools. By aligning with open science principles and supporting reproducible workflows, the Study Area Map Generator contributes to more equitable and efficient scientific communication. The application is freely available online. Future developments include support for subnational units, thematic overlays, multilingual interfaces, and enhanced export options.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi14100387","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,3]],"date-time":"2025-10-03T11:53:37Z","timestamp":1759492417000},"page":"387","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Study Area Map Generator: A Web-Based Shiny Application for Generating Country-Level Study Area Maps for Scientific Publications"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5629-0893","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cesar Ivan","family":"Alvarez","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Centre for Climate Resilience, University of Augsburg, Universit\u00e4tsstrasse 12a, 86159 Augsburg, Germany"},{"name":"Maestr\u00eda en Sistemas de Informaci\u00f3n Geogr\u00e1fica, Topograf\u00eda Automatizada y Fotogrametr\u00eda Digital, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090101, Ecuador"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2430-8400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Gabriel","family":"Mollocana-Lara","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Grupo de Investigaci\u00f3n Ambiental en el Desarrollo Sustentable GIADES, Carrera de Ingenier\u00eda Industrial, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica Salesiana, Quito 170525, Ecuador"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8540-7974","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Izar","family":"Sinde-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Maestr\u00eda en Sistemas de Informaci\u00f3n Geogr\u00e1fica, Topograf\u00eda Automatizada y Fotogrametr\u00eda Digital, Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Santiago de Guayaquil, Guayaquil 090101, Ecuador"},{"name":"Departamento de Ingenier\u00eda Topogr\u00e1fica y Cartogr\u00e1fica, E.T.S.I. En Topograf\u00eda, Geodesia y Cartograf\u00eda, Universidad Polit\u00e9cnica de Madrid, C\/Mercator 2, 28031 Madrid, Spain"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8043-6431","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Claudia","family":"Teodoro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Department of Geosciences, Environment and Spatial Planning, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Earth Sciences, FCUP Pole, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"30 m annual land cover and its dynamics in China from 1990 to 2019","volume":"13","author":"Yang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Karra, K., Kontgis, C., Statman-Weil, Z., Mazzariello, J.C., Mathis, M., and Brumby, S.P. 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