Bibliometric analysis of the concept of territory[Analyse bibliométrique de la notion de territoire]

The notion of territory has evolved considerably over time, from a simple geographical space to a much more complex concept. Territory is no longer perceived as a simple space on a map, but as a place that people live in, organize and to which they are attached. It is the fruit of history, traditions, practices and identities. It's where the links between people and their environment are forged. This article provides an empirical overview of this evolution, based on a bibliometric approach that offers both a quantitative and qualitative analysis of publications. The main objective is to analyze scientific developments in this field, identifying major trends and emerging themes. Based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, our study extracts and analyzes 3397 articles registered between 2015 and 2024, using the Scopus database to collect relevant data and the bibliometric tool VOSviewer to analyze co-publications, term co-occurrences, author collaborations and citations. The results of this study allow us to draw several key conclusions. Firstly, it highlights the exponential growth in scientific production over the last few decades, a sign of growing interest in the notion of territory. Secondly, it shows the concentration of research in specific journals. In addition, the study highlights the existence of academic research networks that facilitate collaboration and enhance the impact of research. Finally, it reveals the rapid growth of scientific production worldwide, underlining the growing importance of this subject on an international scale.