Mapping has always been data driven, and the more data we gather, the more important practical visualization of that data becomes.
mapping
GIS Data
Bhuvan – the Indian Geoportal
The ISRO Bhuvan geoportal is a free resource for high resolution imagery and earth related GIS data of the Indian region. It is easy to use, works on slow browsers and best used for societal and environmental applications. The portal and services are also updated in continuum.
GIS Software
Mapping the World Three Words at a Time
Instead of address and postal code, Chris Sheldrick has started a company that has divided the world into 57 trillion 3 meter by 3 meter squares. Each square has been assigned three randomly generated words to identify its location. What3words.com is a mapping service that uses those three words to pinpoint any […]
Maps and Cartography
Cartographic Resources
Learn how to really display your spatial information and create well designed, informative maps. Access this collection of resources on how to display colors, create an amazing layout, and what information to show. Cartographic Design and Map Making What’s in a Map? What really makes a map? Find out the […]
GIS Learning
GIS 101: Learn About GIS
GIS is a multi-faceted discipline built that incorporates a variety of technologies and concepts. To really understand the capabilities of GIS, it is important to learn cartography, spatial and statistical analysis, database management, and programming. Looking to get started in GIS? This GIS 101 page is the launch page for […]
GIS Data
Mapping Air Pollution
Pulling real time data from the city government of Madrid, Into the Air is a project led by Nerea Calvillo (along with a team of architectural students, anthropologists, and designers) to map out air pollutants over the Spanish city. The project was originally developed at Visualizar’08, an annual workshop/seminar that focused that year’s […]
GIS Data
Basemaps Defined
What is a basemap? The term basemap is see often in GIS and refers to a collection of GIS data and/or orthorectified imagery that form the background setting for a map. The function of the basemap is to provide background detail necessary to orient the location of the map. Basemaps […]
GIS Software
Making Maps with R
R language is a commonly used programming language and open source software that can be utilized by statisticians for statistical and data analysis. Licensed under GNU, R can be downloaded and installed on Linux, MacOS, and Windows platforms. More about what R is here. R can also be used for […]
GIS Learning
Making Color Blind Friendly Maps
It’s estimated that about 7% of males are color blind in some form (as compared with 0.4% of females). While a very small percentage don’t see color at all, the most common form of color blindness is the inability to differentiate red and green colors. One area that color […]
Maps and Cartography
Enhancing Shorelines with Vector-Based Coastal Vignettes
The demarkation between land and a body of water can be enhanced cartographically through the use of coastal vignettes. From a cartographic perspective, a coastal vignette is a way of displaying water so that areas closest to the shoreline are displayed with a white color. The water is then color […]
Maps and Cartography
Your Brain on Maps
As part of a larger article on the real and hypothesized effects of relying on computerized navigation systems on the mind, Alex Hutchinson looked at research on spatial cognition. The ability to navigate successfully can be achieved by either of two different strategies in the brain which Hutchinson explains in Global […]
GIS Learning
More New York Mapping Goodies
The NY Times has an article and a series of photographs on the effort by New York City to collect LiDAR data. The data will be used, among other things, to create up-to-date maps of the areas most prone to flooding, the buildings best suited for the installation of solar power […]