Thematic maps are excellent for highlighting patterns and trends in data. Whether you’re exploring population density, visualizing climate data, or analyzing sales performance, Atlas makes the process straightforward.
This guide will help you create your own thematic map, step by step.
Understanding Thematic Maps
A thematic map focuses on a specific subject or theme, such as demographic trends, environmental factors, or business performance. Unlike general-purpose maps, these maps emphasize patterns and relationships, helping users make sense of complex data visually.
In Atlas, you can create several types of thematic maps, such as choropleth maps that use color shading to represent data values, proportional symbol maps for visualizing magnitude, and heatmaps to show density or intensity.
Preparing Your Data
Before creating your thematic map, ensure your data is ready to use.
Your dataset should include both geographic information, such as coordinates or region names, and thematic data, such as population, sales, or temperature values. Atlas supports common formats like CSV, GeoJSON, and Shapefiles.
Once your data is prepared, upload it to Atlas by clicking on the Add Data option in the map editor.
Setting Up Your Thematic Map
After uploading your data, start by deciding on the type of thematic map you want to create. For example, if you’re mapping population density, a choropleth map with color gradients works well. If you’re showcasing sales performance by city, proportional symbols of varying sizes might be more effective. Once you’ve chosen your approach, select the relevant layer in the Layers Panel to access the styling options.
In the styling menu, configure how the data should be represented. For a choropleth map, select the data attribute to display and choose a suitable color gradient. For proportional symbols, pick a numeric field to determine the radius size of points. Adjust settings for visibility and clarity, such as data binning or classification, to group values into meaningful ranges.
Adding Context to Your Map
Context enhances the clarity of your thematic map. Choose a basemap that complements your data. For example, a plain gray basemap works well for demographic maps, while satellite imagery may suit environmental themes. Adding labels can further improve understanding, especially when displaying names, values, or categories directly on the map. Interactive features like pop-ups allow users to explore additional details by clicking on specific map elements.
If your map contains multiple layers, use drag-and-drop functionality to reorder them for better visibility. Group related layers into folders to keep your workspace organized, especially if you plan to work with complex datasets.
Refining and Analyzing Your Map
Thematic maps often benefit from refinement. For choropleth maps, adjusting the data classification method—such as using equal intervals, quantiles, or natural breaks—can improve how patterns are displayed. Filters allow you to focus on specific subsets of your data, like regions with high values. Preview your map as you make changes to ensure it remains visually appealing and easy to interpret.
If you’re working with heatmaps, adjust the intensity, radius, and color gradient to highlight areas of interest. Similarly, for proportional symbol maps, ensure that the symbol sizes don’t overlap excessively, which can obscure important details.
Sharing Your Map
When your map is complete, Atlas allows you to share your map easily by providing a link or exporting it as an image or PDF. You can also embed the map on a website or present it as an interactive tool for your audience.
Practical Applications of Thematic Maps
Thematic maps are versatile and can be used across industries. Businesses can visualize revenue by region to identify growth opportunities. Urban planners can analyze population density to allocate resources efficiently. Environmentalists might map deforestation rates to study the impact of human activities. The possibilities are endless, and thematic maps bring clarity to complex data, making them invaluable for decision-making.
Tips for Success
Keep your map focused on a single theme to avoid clutter. Choose meaningful colors that align with the message of your data—for instance, green for growth or red for danger. Ensure your legend is clear, so users can easily understand what the map represents. Finally, test your map with colleagues or stakeholders to gather feedback and refine its design.
Start Mapping with Atlas
Thematic maps are a powerful way to communicate insights visually. With Atlas, you have all the tools you need to create stunning, informative maps. Log in to Atlas and start transforming your data into meaningful stories today.
