mapsthat

Mapsthat is a term used in cartography and data visualization to describe maps that emphasize relationships among entities over geographic location alone. In mapsthat, spatial context remains, but the primary focus is on connections such as trade routes, migration, communication links, or ecological flows that link nodes across space.

Design characteristics include node points representing places or objects, edges indicating relationships with adjustable weight, and layering that allows users to switch between geographic basemaps and abstract network views. Interactivity is common, enabling filtering by attribute, time, or category, and the use of edge bundling to reduce clutter.

Data and methods commonly involve graph theory and spatial analysis. Nodes are geocoded places; edges reflect flows or relationships inferred from datasets such as transportation records, trade data, mobile phone records, or social networks. Visualization techniques may include choropleth overlays, arc or geodesic lines, and heat or gravity models to illustrate intensity.

Applications of mapsthat include logistics planning, epidemiology tracing, urban and regional development, environmental monitoring, and historical or speculative scenario analysis. They help reveal systemic patterns that are not evident from standard maps.

Common technology stacks combine GIS data sources (for example, OpenStreetMap or government datasets) with web mapping libraries such as Leaflet, Mapbox, or D3.js. Workflow often involves data cleaning, network construction, and careful legend design to avoid misinterpretation, since the same map can be read as a geographic map or a relationship map depending on the emphasis.