Computer Cartography - M5 - Choropleth Mapping & Proportional Symbology

 

This week's lab used ArcGIS Pro to explore key considerations in map design, focusing on the importance of selecting appropriate classification schemes when visualizing population densities and wine consumption across European countries, as well as choosing how to symbolize the wine consumption data using either proportional or graduated symbology.

Europe Albers Equal Area Conic projection is used for this map. This projection is particularly effective for choropleth mapping because it preserves the proportion of each enumeration unit , which is crucial when displaying population densities. Since we're mapping population density per unit area, using a projection optimized for the continental scale ensures that regions maintain their true relative sizes.

I chose the Natural Breaks method to classify the population density data because it effectively reveals clusters and patterns within the dataset. This approach minimizes the differences within each class while highlighting the distinctions between classes, creating clear categories that reflect the natural groupings in the data. By emphasizing areas with similar density levels, Natural Breaks provides a clearer understanding of population distribution across countries, which is essential given the significant variations in population density. This classification method helps the map effectively showcase important differences and trends.

For wine consumption, I decided to use graduated symbology to make it easier to interpret the different classes. I represented these classes with variations of glass symbols, ranging from an almost empty glass for the smallest class to a full glass for the largest class. I aimed for this choice to be intuitive and straightforward for readers.

This lab was a lot of fun, but also frustrating in some ways I won’t go into. I probably spent ten times more time on this map than was needed to deliver the bare minimum for a good grade, which actually made me miss my assignment deadline. I’m happy with the outcome, though, and think this will make a nice addition to my portfolio.