Visualising Spatial Data Using Thematic Maps : Visualising Spatial Data Using Thematic Maps Alistair Edwardes
Communities and Local Government
alistair.edwardes@communities.gsi.gov.uk
classical model of geography : classical model of geography Geos : whole earth, natural, continuous, drawn, quantitative, Where?
Choros : nature of discrete regions rather than size, qualitative/descriptive, What’s it like?
Topos : discrete places and their relationships, histories / descriptions, meanings, identity Ptolemy, AD 90-168
choropleth maps : choropleth maps S R P
choropleth maps : choropleth maps What for?
Show the distribution of an attribute over space
Support policy development and delivery
Tensions
Size of unit
Characteristics of unit (population)
Single attribute
extent of unit : extent of unit
characteristics : characteristics
rates : rates
rates : rates
smoothing : attributes : smoothing : attributes
smoothing : spatial : smoothing : spatial
multivariate : multivariate
multivariate : multivariate
topographic maps : topographic maps
types of place : England Manchester Sunderland/
South Tyneside Worcestershire Luton Central Beds London types of place
seaside & coastal town clusters : 1 2 3 4 5 seaside & coastal town clusters
Slide 21: England & Wales Seaside Towns
conclusions : conclusions Think about visualising geography rather than producing a map
Visualising place will be the next major challenge for government
alistair.edwardes@communities.gsi.gov.uk
R : ggplot2 : R : ggplot2