Understanding how various countries are interconnec­ted and yet different, is very important, especially when you are studying subjects like geography and history.

Some nations are wealthy with abundant resources, while others struggle due to limited resources. There are countries with minimal pollution, while others are actively working to reduce pollution levels. Learning about these and other similar issues is important from an early age; however, the traditional methods of presenting information, such as maps and data are very dull and often fail to build up your interest. Fortunately, www.worldmapper.org — makes it easy for you to explore the maps in cartogram visualisations.

A cartogram is a map giving statistical data by means of lines, dots, shaded areas, etc., thus making it easy and engaging. Founded by researchers at the University of Sheffield, UK, this non-profit educational project aims to promote data visualisation literacy and understanding of global issues.

The website’s simple uncluttered layout makes navigation easy where you can zoom, and hover over countries/territories to see data values. There are useful options to toggle between different map projections, resize, and view them accompanying data tables, plus you are also allowed to download the data file.

Worldmapper has a collection of over 700 cartogram maps covering a wide range of socio-economic, health, environmental, and developmental indicators from reputable sources like the World Bank, WHO and UN agencies. The maps change the size of countries regularly in accordance with the data, which helps you to see big differences between countries right away.

For example, a population cartogram shows densely populated countries like China and India ballooning in size, while a mapping of CO2 emissions highlights the outsized impact of industrialised nations.

You can choose either from the categories like ‘Environment,’ ‘Health,’ ‘‘Society,’ etc., or browse by region. In browsing by region, you can either select the region directly on the world map or type it into the search bar. You’ll then see all the maps available for that region displayed below.

Overall, WorldMapper is an amazing website that simplifies research, homework and assignments by offering significant data on global issues in an easy way.

Visit:www.worldmapper.org

Published in Dawn, Young World, March 23rd, 2024