A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms
The rectangular cartogram is a geospatial visualization method that blends the characteristics of maps and charts. By simplifying geographic regions into rectangles and using the area of each rectangle to represent statistical data, it enables efficient geovisualization. This paper summarizes and an...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-01-01
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| Series: | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/14/1/25 |
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| author | Lina Wang Haoxun Yuan Xiang Li Pengfei Lu Yaru Li |
| author_facet | Lina Wang Haoxun Yuan Xiang Li Pengfei Lu Yaru Li |
| author_sort | Lina Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The rectangular cartogram is a geospatial visualization method that blends the characteristics of maps and charts. By simplifying geographic regions into rectangles and using the area of each rectangle to represent statistical data, it enables efficient geovisualization. This paper summarizes and analyzes the advantages and limitations of two main approaches used in current rectangular cartogram construction algorithms. To address the issues of high computational cost and inadequate preservation of adjacency and relative positional relationships in existing algorithms, we propose and implement a new rectangular cartogram construction algorithm. This algorithm simplifies the layout computation process while ensuring that the adjacency and relative positional relationships between regions during the layout generation process have only minor errors. In adjusting rectangle areas to match attribute values, the algorithm adopts a “region-by-region placement” strategy, ensuring that errors in area accuracy remain within a small range, while also keeping errors in adjacency and relative positional relationships minimal. Finally, by comparing the results of our algorithm with those of existing algorithms using real-world data with varying distribution characteristics, we demonstrate its effectiveness. The results show that the proposed algorithm not only improves computational efficiency but also effectively displays the adjacency and relative positional relationships between regions. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c7a7b479a2414d0bab279d0c1f4f34a4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2220-9964 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
| spelling | doaj-art-c7a7b479a2414d0bab279d0c1f4f34a42025-01-24T13:35:01ZengMDPI AGISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information2220-99642025-01-011412510.3390/ijgi14010025A New Construction Method for Rectangular CartogramsLina Wang0Haoxun Yuan1Xiang Li2Pengfei Lu3Yaru Li4School of Computer Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaSchool of Computer Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaInstitute of Surveying and Mapping, Information Engineering University, Zhengzhou 450052, ChinaInstitute of Surveying and Mapping, Information Engineering University, Zhengzhou 450052, ChinaSchool of Computer Science and Technology, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450001, ChinaThe rectangular cartogram is a geospatial visualization method that blends the characteristics of maps and charts. By simplifying geographic regions into rectangles and using the area of each rectangle to represent statistical data, it enables efficient geovisualization. This paper summarizes and analyzes the advantages and limitations of two main approaches used in current rectangular cartogram construction algorithms. To address the issues of high computational cost and inadequate preservation of adjacency and relative positional relationships in existing algorithms, we propose and implement a new rectangular cartogram construction algorithm. This algorithm simplifies the layout computation process while ensuring that the adjacency and relative positional relationships between regions during the layout generation process have only minor errors. In adjusting rectangle areas to match attribute values, the algorithm adopts a “region-by-region placement” strategy, ensuring that errors in area accuracy remain within a small range, while also keeping errors in adjacency and relative positional relationships minimal. Finally, by comparing the results of our algorithm with those of existing algorithms using real-world data with varying distribution characteristics, we demonstrate its effectiveness. The results show that the proposed algorithm not only improves computational efficiency but also effectively displays the adjacency and relative positional relationships between regions.https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/14/1/25geovisualizationcartogramrectangular cartogramrectangular segmentation mapspatial relationship preservation |
| spellingShingle | Lina Wang Haoxun Yuan Xiang Li Pengfei Lu Yaru Li A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information geovisualization cartogram rectangular cartogram rectangular segmentation map spatial relationship preservation |
| title | A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms |
| title_full | A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms |
| title_fullStr | A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms |
| title_full_unstemmed | A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms |
| title_short | A New Construction Method for Rectangular Cartograms |
| title_sort | new construction method for rectangular cartograms |
| topic | geovisualization cartogram rectangular cartogram rectangular segmentation map spatial relationship preservation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/14/1/25 |
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