Map Simbology

Jarot Mulyo Semedi

Laboratorium Sistem Informasi Geografis
Departemen Geografi
FMIPA - UI
Why we use symbols?
• In general, data depicted on maps, and in fact maps
themselves, are symbolic representations of geographic
phenomena and the Earth's surface on a sheet of paper,
or on a computer monitor.

• Only at a scale of 1:1 could physical data be depicted at

its true size and in complete detail.

• All features and thematic data shown on a map must

undergo a process of simplification, generalization
(sometimes exaggeration), and finally symbolization
Geographic phenomena
• Cartographers and geographers use symbols on maps to
represent various geographic phenomena involving location,
distance, volume, movement, function, process, correlation, etc.
• These phenomena can be classified into four basic
categories: point (non-dimensional data), line (one-dimensional
data), area (two-dimensional data), and volume (three-
dimensional data), (Wright, 1955).
• The challenge in cartographic symbol design is that four
categories of data must be represented on maps by only three
basic symbol types: point, line, and area. Therefore,
considerable imagination must be used to design map symbols
that portray more than one data characteristic, at the same time.
Geographic Data Types
• A point symbol represents a geographic feature or event
characterized by location and attributes. Its location can be
represented by a single "x,y" coordinate pair, while attributes can be
many. For example, a populated place or a mine site can be
represented by a point symbol.
• A line symbol represents a geographic feature characterized by linear
dimension, but not area. In digital technology, a line is a sequence or
stream of point coordinates with a node at each end (vector data) that
symbolizes a linear feature such as a road, river, or boundary.
• An area symbol represents a closed geographic surface feature, two-
dimensional geometric region, or a polygon. A census division, a lake,
or a province (any geographically defined surface) are examples of
area features.
Symbol design
• In general, there are two basic symbol designs that may be used to
portray information on maps, pictorial and abstract.
• Symbols that are pictorial look like the features that they represent.
These symbols tend to reflect the shape and colour of the feature.
For example, the symbol for a picnic site may be a picnic table, or
the symbol for a vegetated area may be a green polygon
• Symbols described as abstract may be any geometric shape
assigned to represent a feature. For example, a series of graduated
dots and/or squares could represent populated places on a
reference map. On the other hand, coloured or patterned polygons
could represent varying concentrations of people, on a population
density map
Symbol Display
• There is little difference in the way symbols
are designed for display in the computer
environment and for the traditional paper
map.

• The main concerns with the computer

mapping environment are screen
resolution, map scale, and colour
Pictorial
Map
Data Classification
• When a data set is large, it is not practical to
assign a unique symbol to each data record.
Therefore, for mapping it is essential that data is
classified or grouped.

• The classification method chosen should

adequately describe the phenomenon being
mapped, and at the same time facilitate the
cartographic display of spatial patterns
Scales of Measurement
• Qualitative
– Nominal = category, name, membership
– Ordinal = rank, sequence
• Quantitative: numeric scale
– Interval
• measured intervals, but no proportions
– Ratio
• equal proportions and absolute zero
• proportions meaningful
Nominal Point Symbols
Ordinal Point Symbols Maps
Graduated Point Symbols
• True proportional symbols maps
• Range-graded symbols
• Other graduated symbols maps
True Proportional Symbols
Maps
• The data is ranked on a measured
scale.
• The size of each symbol is proportional
to the value of the feature on the scale.
• Interval/Ratio data types.
True
Proportional
Symbols Maps
Proportional circle map
size of circle varies with
Range-graded Symbols
• The data is ranked on a measured
scale.
• The data is divided into ranges:
– Quartile, natural breaks and user defined
• Symbol size is based on the range in
which the value falls
Range-
graded
Symbols
Range-
graded
Symbols
Other Point Maps
Dot-distribution map
Dot-distribution map
Dot size to large
Dot value too small
Dot value too large
Appropriate dot
size and value
Dot-distribution map
Dot density maps
dot frequency displays quantity
Symbolizing Data with Lines:
Qualitative linear symbols:
Coastlines
Graticules
Trails
Roads
Other
Symbolizing Data with Lines:
Qualitative linear symbols:
Network Map
Symbolizing Data with Lines:
Quantitative linear symbols:
Traffic flow
Transportation volume
Migration
Flow Map: Europe Internet Traffic
www.cybergeography.org/atlas/census.html
Choropleth Maps
• Classless choropleth map
– one color/shading pattern per attribute value
– impractical as it is difficult to interpret
• Classed choropleth
– easier to interpret with fewer color/shading
patterns, usually 5-20 different classes
– 3 steps
1. attribute data classification
2. color / shade pattern assignment
3. custom design
Choropleth Maps
• Choros (magnitude)
• Plethos (place)
• Emphasis is on
relative magnitude
• Generalization by
classification
(Partitioning)
• Data enumerated into
units boundaries
unrelated to data
• 3D view is a ‘prism
map’
 Classed Choropleth Maps
Equal Interval

This map doesn’t

show much
information!

Quantiles
Whether this map
is good depends
on the purpose of
the map.

Standard Deviation
This map is useless
because there can’t
be negative people
per square mile!
Choropleth Maps
tonal shadings are graduated to represent areal
variations in number or density within a region, usually
a formal region.
Choropleth Maps
tonal shadings are graduated to represent areal
variations in number or density within a region,
usually a formal region.
Choropleth Maps
tonal shadings are graduated to represent areal
variations in number or density within a region,
usually a formal region.
Isolines
• Device for showing spatial distribution.
• Refers to any line that joins points of equal value.
• Common types of isolines
– Contour line (Equal Elevation)
– Isobar (A line of equal or constant pressure)
– Isotherm (A line of equal or constant temperature)
– Isohyet (A line of equal amounts of precipitation)
Drawing Isolines
Use of Isolines (Isohyet)
Basic Characteristics of
Isolines
• Closed lines, having no end.
• Represent gradations in quantities.
• Maintain a constant interval between
them.
• Closeness depends on gradient (slope).
Type of Isolines
• Isometric lines
– Based on control points
• Isopleths
– Based on areal averages
Isometric Maps
Isometric Maps - Isolines
Prism Maps

http://www.sciencesoftware.com/MapViewer.asp
Categorizing Data for Choropleth
Maps

Raw Data Equal Intervals Standardized Data Equal

Intervals

Quantiles Natural Breaks

Isopleth Map
• Isos means equal
• Plethos means place
• Emphasis on
gradient
• Generalized by
interpolation
• Data does not exist
meaningfully at a
point
• 3D view is a ‘fishnet
map’
Isopleth Maps
isolines connect points of equal
magnitude.
Isopleth Maps
isolines connect points of equal
magnitude.
Critiquing Maps
 Critiquing
Maps

http://www.gislounge.com/features/aa112200a.shtml