Teemakarttaa

Teemakarttaa is a Finnish term that translates to "thematic map" in English. It refers to a map that displays a specific theme or subject, rather than just general geographical features. These themes can vary widely, encompassing anything from population density and economic activity to rainfall patterns or historical events.

The primary purpose of a thematic map is to convey information about a particular topic. Unlike a topographic map that shows land elevation and natural features, a thematic map uses visual elements like colors, patterns, symbols, and lines to represent data related to the chosen theme. The base map provides the geographical context, but the emphasis is on the distribution and patterns of the thematic information.

Examples of thematic maps include electoral maps showing voting results by region, climate maps illustrating temperature or precipitation, or disease outbreak maps indicating the geographical spread of an illness. Cartographers create thematic maps by collecting relevant data and then choosing appropriate visual encoding methods to effectively communicate that data to the map reader. The clarity and accuracy of the chosen theme and its representation are crucial for a successful thematic map.