Thematic Maps and

Visualization of
Georeferenced Data

What is a Map

Visualization of geographic and georeferenced

information is normally made through maps

A map is drawn/printed representation of the Earth

Cartography is the study and the making of maps

A person who makes maps is called a cartographer

Most maps are flat representations of a region

A globe is also a map, but its shaped like a sphere

What Are Maps Used For?

Locating places

Measuring distances

Planning trips

Visualization of
georeferenced data

Many types of maps

Political Maps
Physical Maps
Contour Maps
Road Maps
Street Maps
Transit Maps
Thematic Maps
Resource Maps
Inventory Maps

They can be classified into

three main types:
1)

General reference maps

2)

Mobility maps

3)

Thematic Maps

General Reference Maps

Show political or physical features
Boundaries or borders for regions
Geographical features
Bodies of water
Cities and towns

Political and Physical Maps

Political maps show boundaries
of countries and provinces

Physical (aka relief) maps show

the location of physical features
found on the Earths surface
such as mountains, rivers,
lakes, and valleys

Mobility Maps
Mobility maps help people find their way
from one place to another (wayfinding)
Examples include transit maps, road
maps, street maps,

Thematic Maps
A thematic map shows georeferenced data,
numeric or character, by colors or symbols.
Specific data displayed in this manner is
referred to as a theme
Different types of thematic maps, useful for
showing different types of thematic variables

Commonly used to show natural resources,

vegetation areas, population, types of soil,
climate, temperature,

How Does One Read a Map?

Need to understand the following:

Map Legends

Scale

Geographical grids

Map indexes

Latitude and Longitude (map projections)

Map Legends and Symbols

Map legends list and

explain the symbols and
colors found on a map

Sometimes the map

symbols look like the
features they represent
(tree represents a forest)

Map Scale
The scale on a map shows the relationship
between the distances on a map and the
distance on the earths surface
Scale is shown with a bar or measuring tape.

Geographical Grids
Lines on a map that help us find and
describe locations
Most common grids are lines of latitude and
longitude

Types of
Thematic Maps

Display Information using Thematic Maps

Thematic mapping is the process of shading a map
according to a given theme

Data displayed on the map is called a thematic variable

Shading can be based on color, patterns, symbols,
Use values of data for comparisons and checking patterns
Large variety of thematic options to display the same data.

Common thematic map types include:

Chloropleth maps, aka ranged maps

Dot density maps
Proportional symbol maps
Maps with pie or bar charts
Grided maps, aka heatmaps
Cartograms

Chloropleth/Ranged Maps
Involves coloring
geographic areas to
represent categories of
rates or densities
Most common type of
thematic map

Represent a single
georeferenced variable
Show variations over
discrete regions.

Determining Ranges in Chloropleth Maps

All data classification methods revolve around two questions:
How many data ranges should there be?
How large is each data range?
The answers to these questions are determined in part by
the classification method selected.

Some common data classification methods are:

EQUAL-COUNT
EQUAL RANGES
NATURAL BREAKS
STANDARD DEVIATION
CUSTOM
16

 Equal-Count classification aims at

having an equal number of
cases in each range
Depending on the data
table, this will be
approximate only

In the example, 50 states and the

District Of Columbia could not be
exactly divided by 4. The result is
that the number of cases in each
range varies from 10 to 14.
Notice that the size of ranges
varies greatly, from about
1,100,000 (the smallest range) to
about 24 million (the largest).
17

 Equal Range classification

aims at equal-sized ranges.
In the example, every range
has an interval of about 7
million.
This method does not always
reflect the data well.
Notice that the lowest range
has 42 cases and the highest
range has only 1 case, making
for a very unbalanced map.
18

 Natural Breaks
classification creates
ranges based on
clusters or gaps
within the data itself.
This makes for
ranges that reflect the
data very well.
Note however, that
the number of cases
per range and the
size of ranges can
vary considerably.
19

Graph of U.S. 1990 Populations by State, Ascending Order.

2.3 million

4.7 million

10.8 million

29.8 million

Chart with data used in previous example

 Standard Deviation classification

creates classes 1 standard
deviation in size around the mean.
In the example, the mean value is
about 4.9 million and the standard
deviation is about 4.5 million.
Four ranges were specified, but
only three ranges are shown
because the lowest range
contains no values.
In effect, the map shows above
and below average values.
This type of classification is
popular for highlighting extremes
of data (either much smaller or
much bigger than the average.

21

 Custom Ranges are used to

highlight particular features
of the data (for example,
population between 1 and
3.7 million) or to modify
ranges defined by one of the
other methods.
Data ranges can be
discontinuous. This is
acceptable, as long care is
taken to ensure that no data
values fall into the gaps.
22

Colors and Number of Ranges

Notice that all of the examples shown
illustrate a convention in thematic mapping to
use progressively darker shades to represent
progressively higher value ranges.

dark

high

light

low

On the question of how many ranges to use, research has

shown that between 4 and 6 ranges is the most effective.
Also notice that all of the examples are showing exactly the
same data. Clearly the appearance of a thematic map can
vary greatly depending on the classification method used.

Which method to use

In terms of visual effectiveness, maps look better when
there is a balance between data ranges (i.e, there are
about the same number of values in each range)
The Equal Count and Natural Breaks methods are
probably the best choices for most general purposes.

Usage of colors on cloropleth maps

Specific color progressions should be used to depict the

data properly, in a way that facilitates interpretation

Single-hue progressions fade from a dark shade of the chosen color

to a very light shade of relatively the same hue. Common method
used to show magnitude.

Bi-polar progressions use two hues and are normally used to show a
change in data numbers from negative to positive.

Blended hue progressions use related hues to blend together the two
end point hues. This type of color progression is typically used to
show elevation changes.

Full spectral progression contains hues from blue through red.

Usually not recommended.

Point Density Maps

Showing a symbol (e.g., a

dot) for each individual or
group of individuals
Used together with polygons
Useful to show densities or
values in a continuous way
Can be used to show
multiple variables (e.g.,
through multiple colors, dot
sizes, symbols, etc.)
Fails when many individuals
or groups are present
Only used when exact
location is unknown

Effect of changing the dot value

1 dot = 1000 persons

1 dot = 150 persons

1 dot = 300 persons

Effect of Changing the Dot Size

Proportional Symbol Maps

Also called graduated/graded

symbol maps
Represent classes of counts,
not individual counts
Useful for counts that lack
exact location (use regions)

Can represent continuous or

discrete (ranged) values

Can represent multiple

variables through juxtaposed
symbols at same locations

Charts in Thematic Maps

Can show numeric rates,
numeric densities, or
nominal values
For densities, the divisor
is usually the magnitude
of a geographic area
Can use various formats
for the charts
Can show multiple
variables

Pie Chart

Bar Graph

Gridded Thematic Maps (Heatmaps)

Can show numeric rates
or numeric densities
Shows continuous
variations for a single
variable
Colors can be based on
interpolated values from
centroids

Lecture

on spatial statistics

Cartograms

Deform map area or map

distance with basis on the
variable being represented
Area

cartograms
Distance cartograms

Shows a single variable

e.g.,

travel times, population,

Usually combined with other

types of thematic mapping
techniques

Maps can mislead if you

are not careful or are
unscrupulous.

Maps are models and all

maps distort the reality!

Attention to map
scale, feature
selection,
symbolization
metaphors, etc

Creating Thematic Maps

Google Earth Thematic Mapping Engine and API

http://thematicmapping.org/engine/

R Project for Statistics

A

Practical Guide to Geostatistical Mapping

http://spatial-analyst.net/book/

Questes?