The Rectangular Statistical Cartogram

Abstract

T HE idea of the statistical cartogram occurred to the author when he had occasion to prepare maps of the United States showing the distribution of various economic units, such as steel factories, textile mills, power plants, banks, etc. These maps were far too crowded in the northeast to be useful, while elsewhere, for the most part, they were relatively empty. If a way could be found to increase the scale of the northeastern region and reduce that of the west, distribution could be shown more clearly. Simple distortion of the map would be misleading, but, if we go a step farther, discard altogether the outlines of the country, and give each region a rectangular form of size proportional to the value represented, we arrive at the rectangular statistical cartogram. For purposes of comparison it is essential that a definite system of construction should be followed and identical arrangement should be used whatever values are represented. The system here used starts always with the larger divisions and by proportionate halving arrives at the smaller ones. It should be emphasized that the statistical cartogram is not a map. Although it has roughly the proportions of the country and retains as far as possible the relative locations of the various regions, the cartogram is purely a geometrical design to visualize certain statistical facts and to work out certain problems of distribution. Examples of these cartograms are given in the accompanying figures. The division into regions follows the usage of the United States Census Bureau, because only from this source are data available. If natural geographic regions could be used instead, the cartograms would be still more instructive.