The first map is from benfry.com, another geography blog. This is a map of the average distance to the nearest road. The different road densities are highlighted by using different colors. This makes the map not only look good but also very practical. The interesting part about this map is that the longer you look at it, the more conclusions you can draw from it. By highlighting the densities, you can begin to indentify major landmarks across the United States such as cities and national parks. Also this information could be used to draw conclusions about the population across the U.S. which makes this map even more interesting.
The next map is a screenshot from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association of real-time flights over North America. Each white dot on the map represents a plane that was en route. Unlike the map above, this map offers really no ascetic qualities but it is still interesting. Air traffic is not something that usually comes to mind because you can’t really see it. This map offers a quick summary of air traffic and to people who actually know something about air traffic (not me of course), it could be of some use. I think it is interesting to think that there are that many planes in the sky and yet no one really knows they are there.
The last map, which juxtaposes the last two, is the United States Flower Map which (I had no idea) was copy righted in 1911 and actually has some historical significance. Every state is engraved with an image of their state flower. This map is easily the most beautiful of the three but really has no practical function like the other two. This map cannot be used to draw conclusions about the geography of the United States but that does not mean that it doesn’t serve a purpose. The most interesting part of this map is that it was created as a piece of artwork which exemplifies the multifaceted nature of maps.
