CHAPTER 14

Designing Geographic Maps

Geographical maps show relationships between geographical locations and information. They can be used to show quantitative and qualitative data, such as political boundaries and physical features (both natural and human), and to show comparative data, such as degrees of industrialization, population density, and birth and death rates.

In software, the picture is usually only the most surface level. When users see a map, they expect to be able to find more information by zooming in or drilling down, by adding and subtracting layers of information, and (if the application supports it) by running what-if analyses and modeling possible future events.

This chapter covers two main topics:

• Why you might want ...

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