[map-tilegrid] Tile Grid Map for Equal-Area Geographic Comparison

[MarkusNeusinger]

Description

A geographic layout where each region (state, country, etc.) is represented by an equally-sized tile (hexagon or square) arranged to approximate the real geographic positions. Unlike choropleth maps where large-area regions dominate visually, tile grid maps give each region equal visual weight, making them ideal for per-capita or per-region comparisons.

Applications

• Comparing US state-level election results without area bias
• Showing per-country statistics in Europe with equal visual weight
• Displaying regional health metrics without geographic size distortion
• Visualizing adoption rates across administrative regions

Data

• region (str) — region identifier (e.g., state abbreviation)
• value (float) — metric to display
• row (int) — grid row position
• col (int) — grid column position
• Size: 10–60 regions

Notes

• Hex tiles or square tiles, both are valid
• Color tiles by value using sequential/diverging colormap
• Label each tile with region abbreviation
• Predefined layouts available for US states, EU countries

[claude]

✅ Spec ID: map-tilegrid

Rationale: Tile grid maps are a distinct geographic visualization where every region gets equal-sized tiles arranged to approximate real positions — fundamentally different from existing choropleth (area-proportional coloring), cartogram (area distortion), and tile-background map specs. A valuable addition for bias-free regional comparisons.

Add label approved to begin generation.

[github-actions]

✅ Specification Ready: map-tilegrid

PR: #5265

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specification.md

map-tilegrid: Tile Grid Map for Equal-Area Geographic Comparison

Description

A tile grid map represents geographic regions (states, countries, provinces) as equally-sized tiles — squares or hexagons — arranged to approximate their real-world geographic positions. Unlike choropleth maps where large-area regions dominate visually, every region receives identical visual weight, making tile grid maps ideal for per-capita or per-region comparisons where the statistic matters more than physical area. Tiles are colored by a data variable and labeled with region abbreviations for identification.

Applications

• Comparing US state-level election results without geographic area bias distorting the visual impression
• Showing per-country statistics across Europe with each nation given equal visual weight regardless of land area
• Displaying regional health metrics (vaccination rates, disease incidence) without geographic size distortion
• Visualizing technology adoption rates or policy compliance across administrative regions

Data

• region (string) — Region identifier or abbreviation (e.g., "CA", "TX", "DE")
• value (numeric) — Metric to display via tile color (e.g., rate, percentage, count)
• row (integer) — Grid row position for the tile (0-indexed from top)
• col (integer) — Grid column position for the tile (0-indexed from left)
• Size: 10–60 regions
• Example: US states with per-capita income, EU countries with renewable energy percentage

Notes

• Tiles may be squares or hexagons — both are valid approaches
• Color tiles using a sequential colormap for unipolar data or a diverging colormap when a meaningful midpoint exists
• Label each tile with the region abbreviation, ensuring text is legible against the tile color
• Include a colorbar or legend showing the value-to-color mapping
• Predefined grid layouts are commonly available for US states and European countries
• Maintain consistent tile sizing — equal area for all tiles is the defining characteristic

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Next: Add approved label to merge this specification to main.

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🤖 spec-create workflow

[github-actions]

🚀 Specification Merged!

Specification: map-tilegrid
PR: #5265 (merged)

The specification is now in main and synced to PostgreSQL.

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Next: Add generate:{library} labels to start generating implementations.

Available libraries: matplotlib, seaborn, plotly, bokeh, altair, plotnine, pygal, highcharts, letsplot

Or use workflow dispatch for bulk operations.

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🤖 spec-create workflow