Map Resources Blog

On March 17, all over the world, in places where Irish emigrated, people will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with parades, music, parties.  In the midst of all the festivities, are there some Irish citizens thinking of returning home? The government of Ireland hopes the answer to that question is yes, and they're working to entice its citizens back home. Emigration has long been a theme for Ireland.  During the Great Famine of 1845–1850, more than 1.5 million Irish left their homeland in search of a better life. And people continued to emigrate throughout the next 150 years, often depending...

Daylight Savings, Spring Forward or Spring Up, March Forward, Summer Time... whatever you call it, it's coming soon. Sunday, March 11, at 2:00 am, is when we move our clocks forward one hour. And for most of us, it's a happy fact of life in the otherwise bleary month of March.  Because who doesn't love a little more light at the end of every day? When Did DST Start? On July 1, 1908, the residents of Port Arthur, Ontario turned their clocks forward by 1 hour.  This was the first official use of DST. However, the idea did not catch...

Since the tragic murder of high school students in Parkland, Florida, media attention has been trained on the issue of guns in the USA. And throughout the media coverage, maps are front and center.  Maps show where firearms are most concentrated, the geographic distribution of the damage they do, the varying laws that exist across states, public attitudes towards gun control, and more. Location and Frequency of Violent Incidents One of the most comprehensive collection of data-based maps concerning the gun issue is the Gun Violence Archive. The overall goal of GVA is "to provide the best, most detailed, accessible data...

Anyone on the dating scene knows one of the most important questions about a potential match up is where the person is located. Potential dates that are GU, or “geographically unsuitable”, often take a back seat to other more suitably located people. GU Suitable, or Unsuitable?  The Criteria Varies Sometimes a potential date is GU because they live too close. Which is understandable, because most people don’t want to risk a chance meet up in their ratty gym clothes when they are hoping to make a good impression in a new romance. Also, if a relationship sours, people want to...

Gerrymandering is a hot topic because numerous courts are requiring lawmakers to develop more fair maps, and after the next census, all states are going to be redrawing their districts soon.  Computer cartography will play an important role in the redistricting process.