Population Density Map of China

Data description

The map Spatial Distribution of Population Density reflects the distribution of population density in 2001 in China.

Dataset Name Dataset Type Data Category Description
ProvinceCapital_P Point Dataset Administrative point Provincial capital
County_P County level administrative district
HeiHeTengChong_P Heihe, Tengchong
Border_L Line Dataset Administrative boundaries National boundaries
Province_L Provincial boundaries
Coastline_L Coastline
Country_R Polygon Dataset Administrative region China
County_R County region
PopDensity_R Thematic elements Isoregions extracted
Island_R Other region elements Island
Pop Text Dataset Auxiliary elements Map name
PopElements CAD Dataset Auxiliary elements Legend and other auxiliary elements

Data Processing

  1. Interpolation analysis

    The original data includes the county point data of population density property, this data is interpolated with the population density as the interpolation field. The result of interpolation analysis is obtained from all external rectangles that participate in the interpolation points, but the external rectangles of all county points can't include the whole range for creating a map, so we need copy the range of county region to generate the rectangular raster data.

    Figure: Interpolation analysis
    Figure: Before and after interpolation analysis
  2. Extracting Isoregions

    By the function "Extract All Isoregions" in Spatial Analysis > Raster Analysis > Surface Analysis to extract isoregions to the result of interpolation analysis and to smooth the contour. Because of the result is triangle, the extracted isosurface is triangle, it needs to be clippied.

    Figure: Extracting all isoregions
    Figure: Before and after clipping the isoregion

Main Points of Cartography

  • Making the interpolation analysis to the county point with population density data (recommended the resolution is set to 1500) and extracting isosurface. And then creates range thematic map for the isosurface to directly display the population distribution.
  • It is made the difference in population density is more clear that adding provincial boundary and provincial city.
  • Heihe-Tengchong Line (Hu Line) is proposed in 1935 by the geologist Hu Huanyong, it roughly distinguishes the disparity of population distribution between the southeast and northwest of china.
  • Creating a unique thematic map for regions of China, Setting gray and a certain offset for it, then superimposed on the bottom of the base map which will made the bottom map presents a three-dimensional effect.
  • Map name and legend can enhance map performance.

Mapping process

  1. Makinga base map with three-dimensional effect

    New map window, adding the regions of China, creating a unique thematic map by SmUserID as an expression.

    Figure: Setting a vertical offset for the thematic map
    Figure: Three-dimensional effect of the base map
  2. Producing a thematic map for population density range

    The isosurface creates a range thematic map with the population density as a expression. Dividing the population density into 13 segments by selecting the method of equidistant segmentation and setting an appropriate color scheme.

    Figure: Ranges Map
  3. Add the provincial capitals and mark

    Adding the provincial capitals and producing thematic map for them as marks to intuitively display the national population density distribution while increasing the expressiveness of the map.

  4. Add other auxiliary elements

    (1)Adding Heihe-Tengchong Line (Hu Line), it is proposed in 1935 by the geologist Hu Huanyong, it roughly distinguishes the disparity of population distribution between the southeast and northwest of china.

    (2)Adding map name and legend.

Mapping Result

Figure: Spatial Distribution of Population Density in China