Most maps let you see where places are.

These maps let you see where people are.

Population

Map representing the population of the world.
Sasi Research Group, University of Sheffield, and Mark Newman, University of Michigan

Choose a “people category." Ask where rich people are, poor people are; ask which country has the most internet users, chicken exporters, people killed by extreme temperatures (map 253) and they’ve got a map for that.

 

Click on these images to see animated maps:

Income

Map representing people who live on less than $1 a day.
Sasi Research Group, University of Sheffield, and Mark Newman, University of Michigan

Internet Users 2000-2007

Map representing internet users in 2000.
Sasi Research Group, University of Sheffield, and Mark Newman, University of Michigan

Age-of- Death

Map representing infant deaths.
Sasi Research Group, University of Sheffield, and Mark Newman, University of Michigan

When a country has lots of examples in a category, the country inflates like a balloon. When the country has less, it deflates. So in the animation “Land Area To Population," Chile and Gabon shrink to a whisper of their usual selves. China swells gigantically.

The animations make you see countries “become” above or below average. I love these.

Royalties And License Fees Exports

Royalties and license fees exports.
Sasi Research Group, University of Sheffield, and Mark Newman, University of Michigan

In a lot of these maps, the USA has a slightly glutinous quality, but if you want a patriotic swell, check out this map, which shows you which country is making the most money selling ideas.

Balloon maps were especially popular 5 years ago. They may not be making as many of them these days. They come from a bunch of map geeks at the University of Sheffield in England led by Danny Dorling, Graham Allsopp, with a boost from a University of Michigan computer designer, Mark Newman. They call themselves Worldmapper.