History of World Trade in Maps

Abstract

angles, areas and distance. This ‘gentle introduction’ to use the author’s chapter title includes a section on the influence of map projection on design (often an overlooked concept) and map distortion, always the critical concern with map projection. The book then proceeds with a basic discussion of representing spatial data through cartographic symbolization, followed by a chapter on a map projection’s influence on data representation. This is again an often-overlooked aspect of map projection, that is, the type of data and its properties influence an appropriate map projection choice. Concluding the first part of the book is a chapter on projection selection tools. This is presented as a user perspective for assistance and one of the pragmatic examples of the book’s content. The second part of the book provides conceptual, theoretical and practical guidance on developing a projection by the type of map. The perspective presented is one of map design including the projection as an element. The design aspect uses data continuity versus smoothness as an organizing mechanism. The map types discussed include: continuously varying and abruptly changing; continuously occurring and smoothly changing; discretely occurring and smoothly changing; discretely occurring and abruptly changing; and special maps. The book concludes with a practical chapter on web-based map projection resources. The content of the book is unique in attempting to combine projection effects on the design aspects of a map. It succeeds based on the author’s accessible presentation of the material with a broad theoretical basis and specific examples. The maps and graphics in the book are excellent illustrations of the concepts presented and serve well to make the book a valuable addition to the map projections literature. The authors have made significant original contributions in this work and the bibliographic sources are those most relevant to the book content. The originality of the approach to a map projections book is a refreshing addition to the usually more mathematical map projections literature. The book is a significant addition to the map projections literature. It takes a fresh look at how map projections fit into the overall design process for creating a map and provides the conceptual, theoretical and practical background for connecting map projections into the creative design process. The look at varying data types in terms of continuity and smoothness fits map projection mathematics which can preserve these types of characteristics in a transformation and is a good way to approach map design incorporating map projections theory and concepts. The work is well presented and well illustrated with maps and graphics. Overall this book makes a significant contribution to map projections and map design concepts and is appropriate for classroom use or as a reference book. It will be an excellent library addition as well as ideal for personal researchers and the practical information on selection and usage broaden the application areas to include students and practitioners in cartography and geospatial information science.