“数字地球”的概念由美国副总统戈尔１９９８年提出，这一概念的推出有着深刻的政治和经济背景。首先，美国政府期望通过“数字地球”继续把持信息技术和信息产业的制高点；其次，１９９４年美国签署了“建立国家空间数据基础设施”的行政号令，在此基础上发展的“数字地... The concept of “digital earth” was proposed by U.S. Vice President Al Gore in 1998, and the introduction of this concept has a profound political and economic background. First, the U.S. government hopes to continue taking control of the commanding heights of information technology and information industry through “Digital Earth.” Second, in 1994, the United States signed the administrative order of “establishing a national spatial data infrastructure.” On that basis, the United States has been developing the “digital land.” .