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| People-powered maps | People-powered maps |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Conventional maps show the shape of a country according to its land mass. But what if you drew a map according to where people lived? | Conventional maps show the shape of a country according to its land mass. But what if you drew a map according to where people lived? |
| At first glance they could be mistaken for distorted creepy-crawlies - bloated body parts with randomly placed antennae and spindly legs, their gridlines looking much like the compound eyes and variegated wings of an insect. | At first glance they could be mistaken for distorted creepy-crawlies - bloated body parts with randomly placed antennae and spindly legs, their gridlines looking much like the compound eyes and variegated wings of an insect. |
| In fact, each image is a country map - reinterpreted by a pair of Sheffield University geographers. The result is a remarkable series of cartographic designs that cast the world in an entirely new light. | In fact, each image is a country map - reinterpreted by a pair of Sheffield University geographers. The result is a remarkable series of cartographic designs that cast the world in an entirely new light. |
| The map of Britain above, for example, is a reworking of a traditional map using data about where people live to highlight population density across the country. | The map of Britain above, for example, is a reworking of a traditional map using data about where people live to highlight population density across the country. |
| MORE MAPS In pictures: Population maps | MORE MAPS In pictures: Population maps |
| It emphasises the dominance of London and other cities and the lesser significance, in terms of headcount, of more rural parts of the UK. | It emphasises the dominance of London and other cities and the lesser significance, in terms of headcount, of more rural parts of the UK. |
| Professor Danny Dorling, who oversaw the creation of these maps, says it captures what is most important about a country. | Professor Danny Dorling, who oversaw the creation of these maps, says it captures what is most important about a country. |
| "It changes how you think about places," he says. "If you really want a fair map of an area you do it by population. What you are interested in most of the time is people." | "It changes how you think about places," he says. "If you really want a fair map of an area you do it by population. What you are interested in most of the time is people." |
| Mr Dorling, and fellow geographer Ben Hennig, a PhD student, have plotted census data for some 200 territories. They are mainly United Nation member states plus a few others, to cover at least 99.5% of the world's population. | Mr Dorling, and fellow geographer Ben Hennig, a PhD student, have plotted census data for some 200 territories. They are mainly United Nation member states plus a few others, to cover at least 99.5% of the world's population. |
| You can view some of them by clicking on the link above. The pair have also animated six maps exclusively for the BBC News website (see below). | You can view some of them by clicking on the link above. The pair have also animated six maps exclusively for the BBC News website (see below). |
| In order to see the animation you need to have Flash Player 9 installed and JavaScript enabled. | |
| See the pictures the animation is based on.Download Adobe Flash Player | |
| Producing the maps, or cartograms as they're known, has taken months, says Mr Hennig. | Producing the maps, or cartograms as they're known, has taken months, says Mr Hennig. |
| National census data from countries around the world have been combined with UN data to compile the most accurate picture for population distribution around the world. | National census data from countries around the world have been combined with UN data to compile the most accurate picture for population distribution around the world. |
| Next, a map of each territory is divided into a grid of squares of equal size. The data is then fed into a special software programme that plots the number of people living within each square. | Next, a map of each territory is divided into a grid of squares of equal size. The data is then fed into a special software programme that plots the number of people living within each square. |
| This is no mean trick, says Mr Dorling. "I spent the first 15 years of my academic career trying to work out how to do this," he admits. | This is no mean trick, says Mr Dorling. "I spent the first 15 years of my academic career trying to work out how to do this," he admits. |
| In the end an American physicist, Mark Newman, a "genius" says Mr Dorling, worked it out with one of his PhD students, Michael Gastner, over a relatively short time and wrote the software. | In the end an American physicist, Mark Newman, a "genius" says Mr Dorling, worked it out with one of his PhD students, Michael Gastner, over a relatively short time and wrote the software. |
| "What we're trying to do is create the correctly proportional, least distorting, population cartogram," Mr Dorling explains. | "What we're trying to do is create the correctly proportional, least distorting, population cartogram," Mr Dorling explains. |
| His hope now is that these maps will catch on and someone will take the next step which is to write software that will enable anyone to input their own data and produce a map. | His hope now is that these maps will catch on and someone will take the next step which is to write software that will enable anyone to input their own data and produce a map. |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |