Agent-Based Modeling of Spatial Economic Systems: а Review

Abstract

The paper describes the current state of agent-based modeling of geographical space and spatial economic systems. We explore reasons why this approach to modeling spatial phenomena is of particular interest. Agent-based models (ABMs) allow accounting for agents’ spatial heterogeneity, the existing structure of the space, locality of interactions between agents. A survey of approaches to introducing space into the models and examples of the existing spatial models is presented. There is a great variety of spatial ABMs, but they relate predominantly to the local and city level, rather than to the economy as a whole. Spatial ABMs at the level of large regions and countries are not yet sufficiently developed, but have good prospects in the future. With increasing availability of geodata and technological development in general the number of applications and coverage of spatial ABM will grow