Mapping for a Sustainable World is an open access cartography book teaching the principles of cartography through the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Formed in 2015 as an extension of the 2000 Millenial Goals, the United Nations identified 17 goals in an effort to address, collectively, the most pressing problems facing our world. Mapping for a Sustainable World includes four sections and 51 chapters on the SDGs and geospatial data, map design considerations, maps and diagrams, and map use environments. The book has an editorial team comprising writers from the International Cartographic Association (ICA) and the Geospatial Information Section of the United Nations (UN). Editorial members include Menno-Jan Kraak (ICA), Robert E. Roth (ICA), Britta Ricker (ICA), Ayako Kagawa (UN), and Guillaume Le Sourd (UN).
Cite/Attribute as: Kraak MJ, RE Roth, B Ricker, A Kagawa, and G Le Sourd. 2020. Mapping for a Sustainable World. United Nations: New York, NY.
The University of Wisconsin Cartography Lab supported creation of the book layout and all maps and graphics through National Science Foundation CAREER Grant #1555267. The book and all included maps and graphics are available as open access materials through a CC BY-NC license.
Download the Book for Free (74MB)
This repo archives UW Cart Lab data and design materials for the book as part of the open educational resource. Data were downloaded from the United Nations SDG Indicators Database, which is continuously updated and maintained. Archived datasets reflect the version used for figures in Mapping for a Sustainable World to enable their exact replication from the book.
The UW Cart Lab also provides the Mapping for a Sustainable World: QGIS Technical Supplement to walkthrough how to recreate these figures using the QGIS open source mapping software. All archived materials, including the QGIS Supplement and contents of the Mapping for a Sustainable World cartography book, are available for classroom or workshop use following a CC BY-NC license.
Summary of All Archived Datasets (Excel download)
Section 1: SDGs & Geospatial Data
- Figure 1.1-1: The SDGs
- Figure 1.2-1: Components of geospatial data
- Figure 1.2-2: Attributes
- Left: A qualitative attribute
- Right: A quantitative attribute
- Figure 1.2-3: Time
- Figure 1.2-4: Example data from the Global SDGs Indicators Database
- Figure 1.3-1: M49 regions and subregions
- Figure 1.3-2: M49 intermediate regions
- Figure 1.3-3: SDG regional groupings
- Figure 1.4-1: Attribute levels of measurement and associated example symbolization
- Figure 1.4-2: SDG indicators and their level of measurement
- Figure 1.5-1: Time in geospatial data
- Figure 1.5-2: Change in geospatial data
- Figure 1.6-1: Indicator Tiers and Tier I mappable values
- Figure 1.7-1: Data transformation options for enumerated, population-based attributes
- Figure 1.7-2: Data transformations for Indicator 9.1.2 (2015)
- Figure 1.8-1: Understanding the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP)
- Figure 1.8-2: The effects of the modifiable areal unit problem and the ecological fallacy
- Data: Indicator 15.1.1 (2015)
- Figure 1.9-1: Data distributions and classification
- Figure 1.9-2: Equal interval
- Figure 1.9-3: Optimal breaks
- Figure 1.9-4: Mean & standard deviation
- Figure 1.9-5: Quantile
Goal 1 Insert: End Poverty in All Its Forms Everywhere - Data: Currently Unavailable
Section 2: Map Design Considerations
- Figure 2.1-1: Content selection
- Left: A general audience
- Right: A specialist audience
- Data: Indicator 6.1.1 (2016)
- Figure 2.2-1: A general cartographic design process
- Figure 2.2-2: A checksheet for mapping SDG indicators
- Figure 2.3-1: Cartographic design decisions
- Data: Indicator 6.1.1 (2016)
- Figure 2.4-1: From globe to map surface
- Figure 2.4-2: Some alternative world projections to the Eckert IV
- Figure 2.5-1: Projection centring
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Legend
- Figure 2.5-2: Centring on China
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Figure 2.5-3: Centring on Canada
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Figure 2.5-4: Centring on 11° E
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Figure 2.5-5: Interrupted projection centring on 160° E
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Figure 2.6-1: Indicators of scale
- Data: Indicator 6.4.2 (2015)
- Legend
- Figure 2.6-2: Cartographic scale on web maps
- [Top Left](/figures/2.6-2a.jpg)
- [Top Right](/figures/2.6-2b.jpg)
- [Bottom Left](/figures/2.6-2c.jpg)
- [Bottom Right](/figures/2.6-2d.jpg)
- Figure 2.7-1: Simplification
- Data: Indicator 5.5.1 (2019)
- Legend
- Figure 2.7-2: A typical generalization workflow
- Figure 2.8-1: Symbol dimensionality
- Top Left: Address location points (0D)
- Top Right: Street centre lines (1D)
- Bottom Left: Building footprints polygons (2D)
- Bottom Right: Change to an oblique perspective to depict building heights (2.5D)
- Figure 2.8-2: Perceptual effects on symbol dimensionality
- Data: Indicator 4.b.1 (2009)
- Figure 2.9-1: Visual variables and level of measurement
- Figure 2.10-1: The HSV colour model
- Figure 2.10-2: Sequential colour scheme
- Data: Indicator 8.1.1 (2016)
- Legend
- Figure 2.10-3: Diverging colour scheme
- Data: Indicator 8.1.1 (2016)
- Legend
- Figure 2.10-4: Qualitative colour scheme
- Data: Indicator 8.1.1 (2016)
- Legend
- Figure 2.11-1: Autolabelling in mapping software
- Figure 2.11-2: Improved labelling
- Figure 2.12-1: Typonymy
- Figure 2.13-1: Map layout
- Data: Indicator 6.2.1 (2015)
- Figure 2.13-2: Visual hierarchy
- Data: Indicator 6.2.1 (2015)
- Figure 2.14-1: Visual styles in four web basemaps
- Top Left: OpenStreetMap Mapnik
- Top Right: Esri World Light Gray Canvas
- Bottom Left: CARTO Dark Matter
- Bottom Right: Stamen Watercolor
- Figure 2.14-2: Visual styles and emotion
- Figure 2.15-1: Missing data versus zero
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Legend
- Figure 2.15-2: Representing uncertainty
Goal 5 Insert: Achieve Gender Equality and Empower All Women and Girls - Data: Currently Unavailable
Section 3: Maps & Diagrams
- Figure 3.1-1: Thematic map types
- Data: Indicator 12.2.2 (2016)
- Top Left: Proportional symbol
- Top Right: Dot density
- Bottom Left: Choropleth)
- Bottom Right: Shaded isoline
- Figure 3.1-2: Choosing a thematic map type
- Figure 3.2-1: Binary nominal map
- Data: Indicator 15.6.1 (2016)
- Figure 3.3-1: Choropleth map
- Figure 3.4-1: Proportional symbol map
- Data: Indicator 3.2.1 (2016)
- Legend
- Figure 3.5-1: Original choropleth map
- Figure 3.5-2: Exclusionary data
- Figure 3.5-3: Vector math
- Figure 3.5-4: Resulting dasymetric map
- Figure 3.6-1: Nominal map legend
- Figure 3.6-2: Choropleth map legend
- Figure 3.6-3: Proportional symbol map legend
- Figure 3.7-1: Reading bivariate map legends
- Figure 3.7-2: Separable bivariate map
- Data: Indicator 4.3.1 (2016) and Indicator 5.5.2 (2016)
- Figure 3.7-3: Integral bivariate map
- Data: Indicator 4.3.1 (2016) and Indicator 5.5.2 (2016)
- Figure 3.7-4: Configural bivariate map
- Data: Indicator 4.3.1 (2016) and Indicator 5.5.2 (2016)
- Figure 3.8-1: Explaining cartograms
- Figure 3.8-2: Types of cartograms
- Data: Indicator 4.b.1 (2018)
- Legend
- Figure 3.9-1: Small multiples of a time series
- Figure 3.9-2: A change map between time intervals
- Figure 3.9-3: Animation of a time series
- Figure 3.10-1: Choosing a diagram
- Figure 3.11-1: Bar charts
- Figure 3.11-2: Alternative single indicator diagrams to bar charts
- Top: Unit chart (vertical)
- Middle: Pictorial unit chart (horizontal)
- Bottom: Lollipop chart
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.12-1: Diagrams for comparing relative values
- Left: Pie chart
- Centre: Donut chart
- Right: Waffle chart
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.12-2: Diagrams comparing absolute values
- Left: Stacked bar chart
- Right: Marimekko chart
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.12-3: Diagrams comparing binary categories
- Left: Dumbbell chart
- Right: Slope chart
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.13-1: Scatterplot
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.13-2: Bubble chart
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.13-3: Parallel coordinate plot
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.14-1: Comparative diagrams of time
- Left: Dumbbell chart of time
- Right: Slope chart of time
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 3.14-2: Time series diagrams
Goal 9 Insert: Build Resilient Infrastructure, Promote Sustainable Industrialization, & Foster Innovation - Data: Currently Unavailable
Section 4: Map Use Environments
- Figure 4.1-1: Cartography Cube
- Figure 4.1-2: Individual differences
- Figure 4.2-1: Suboptimal design for visual impairment
- Figure 4.2-2: Improved design for visual impairment
- Figure 4.3-1: Recommendations for non-mobile cartographic interface design
- Data: Indicator 7.1.1 (2017)
- Legend
- Figure 4.4-1: Interaction operators
- Figure 4.5-1: The United Nations Clear Map
- Figure 4.5-2: Full stack web cartography
- Figure 4.6-1: Recommendations for responsive cartographic representation and interface design
- Left: The non-mobile design
- Right: The mobile design
- Data: Indicator 12.c.1 (2017)
- Legend
- Figure 4.7-1: Three-act narrative
- Figure 4.7-2: Visual storytelling genres
- Figure 4.8-1: Temporal scale
- Figure 4.8-2: Interacting with time
- Figure 4.9-1: Strategic dashboard
- Figure 4.9-2: Analytical dashboard
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 4.10-1: Overview first
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Legend
- Figure 4.10-2: Zoom and filter
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 4.10-3: Details on-demand
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 4.11-1: Traditional atlas spread
- Data: Currently Unavailable
- Figure 4.11-2: Interactive atlas
- Data: Indicator 15.1.1 (2015)
- Figure 4.12-1: Functional and non-functional requirements
- Figure 4.12-2: User-centred design
- Figure 4.13-1: Mapping for a Sustainable World
Goal 13 Insert: Take Urgent Action to Combat Climate Change - Data: Currently Unavailable
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