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How would you define a map? A type in a popular search engine beginning with ‘G’, has a familiar definition, “a diagrammatic representation of an area of land or sea showing physical features, cities, roads, etc.”, and indeed the word map derives from the word ‘mappa’ meaning sheet/napkin. However, ironically though ‘map’ isn’t restricted to this two dimensional version we can fold up; as we all know, we live a digital age where you navigate the world around you with your laptop or smartphone too. But what happens if you live somewhere with little to no mobile internet signal and sub-zero temperatures most of theRead More →

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In a world where digital maps are available within a few clicks and can rely pre-loaded map projection systems to ensure we are mapping in the right location, for me it is always humbling and breathtaking the painstaking efforts and relative accuracy of older maps. One particular example is the Selden map of China (acquired from estate of London lawyer John Selden in 1659), one of the oldest surviving merchant trade maps, and one of the first Chinese maps to reach Europe, roughly dated 1607-1617. In many ways the beauty and craft of this map speaks for itself (see here), but there is more to thisRead More →

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I recently came across a copy of an old school book, “Picture Map Geography of Canada and Alaska” by Vernon Quinn, that includes charming woodcut picture maps by Bruno da Osimo, a then noted Italian illustrator, for each of the Canadian provinces (other than Nunavut, which was then part of the Northwest Territories). Originally published in 1944 […] via Vintage Picture Map Geography of Canada — O’ CanadaRead More →

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Whether you drive an electric car, a ‘normal’ car, or don’t drive at all, this web and mobile (Android and iOS) application from ZapMap is well worth taking a look at. Powered by Google Maps API, this mapping tool provides the locations of electric car chargers, providing pop up boxes with the latest status of these charging points, types and directions on how to get there. Although the shading of the vector tiles is a bit gaudy, with an ability to log in, map and comment on charging points, there is potential for up-to-date community empowered mapping to provide latest running statuses and charging locations.Read More →

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Today’s map of the day touches on the thorny issue of…politics, though I’m not going to get into a political discussion; if you want to, please got the usual channels, i.e. YouTube comments section. This map from the Economist Intelligent Unit’s (EIU) Democracy Index is a simple, clear, but informative map (click here for full interactive version here).Read More →

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In what I hope will be a regular feature, I will share my passion for all things geographic and cartographic with my ‘Map of the Day’ feature. Some may be simple maps, but interesting insight; others may be great examples of interactivity and web map development, or both. Kicking this feature of is one of my favourite maps, Ventusky (https://www.ventusky.com), a meteorological web application developed by Czech company InMeteo in collaboration with Marek Mojzik and Martin Prantl. This web application has been around for some time now, with the recent addition ‘wave height simulation’, and provides weather prediction (and archive) animation based on weather models fromRead More →

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Whilst at university, as a geography undergraduate, I was used to hearing the old stereotype that my course was all about ‘colouring in’. Part of me wished it was a case of choosing the right crayons… However, a few years down the line, in the world of geospatial analysis, besides all the fascinating analysis we do, sometimes the basics of picking the right colours is indeed important to make output legible and accessible. Although ArcGIS and other GIS packages provide built in colour transitions and symbologies, sometimes, especially with web development, a surprising amount of time can be taken getting colours correct, whether this beRead More →

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Welcome to my site, The Map Den, which I hope will be a world of interesting articles and links related to GIS, mapping, earth observation, geo-location, geo-web applications and anything in between. I’m David and I am a self confessed map addict. I am a Geography graduate from University of Reading, with experience in GIS analysis, software and web development at the National Trust and currently CH2M.Read More →