1. ESPON CARTOGRAPHIC LANGUAGE (ECL)
Vilnius ESPON Seminar 2013
ESPON CARTOGRAPHIC LANGUAGE (ECL)
UMS Riate
Christine Zanin
Nicolas Lambert
Isabelle Salmon
Timothée Giraud
Paule-Annick Davoine
Hélène Mathian
Cécile Saint-Marc

2. Develop a modernised cartographic language for ESPON
Aim of the project
Develop a modernised cartographic language for ESPON
…to reach the interest and to be understood by policy makers involved in territorial policies
What is a cartographic language ?
It’s a graphic method which uses the properties of the visual image to show differences, order and proportionality between geographical data.

3. Two steps : Diagnosis and Recommendations
Overview of map productions in Europe
(ESPON, outside ESPON, web atlases and interactive maps)
Review and analysis of the current cartographic language
Recommendations
to enhance information with maps (static and dynamic cartography)
Mapping guide
Computing technologies and interactive maps
Proposals for a modernized ESPON graphic style

5. All deliveries are available on the ESPON intranet since December 2nd

6. 644 ESPON figures = 908 illustrations (Maps and graphics)
Methodology
644 ESPON figures = 908 illustrations (Maps and graphics)
1- ESPON Corpus
*Final Reports on projects from priorities P1 (12 reports, 256 figures);
P2 (16 reports, 158 figures) and P3 (2 reports, 19 figures)
*Specific publications (214 figures) : Synthesis Report, Scientific report, Territorial Observations, Maps of the month, ESPON Atlas 2006, Scenario 3.2 (2006)

7. - number of elements making up the map, - format, - orientation,
8 criteria
descriptive of the composition of maps :
- number of elements making up the map,
- format,
- orientation,
- presence of a legend,
- spatial Units,
- the spatial cover
- map symbolization
- qualitative appreciation

8. 761 maps Map kit utilisé avec des emprises variées.
Emprise : La grande majorité des cartes sont à l’échelle européenne, (ESPON narrow =sans la Turquie et wide = avec la Turquie)

9. 80% of espon maps are designed with a nuts delineation (mainly nuts2 and nuts 3)
The local level isn’t often used (32 out of 761 maps = 4%)

11. Typology of ESPON maps characteristics
* two complementary multivariate statistical analysis methods to the set of the 524 ESPON maps, described by 17 characteristics.
* similarities and differences between maps in the sample
* 2 main clusters of maps (type A and B), which can be further divided into 7 more detailed subtypes.

12. Type A: ESPON CORE POLITICAL MAPS
Type A.1: Analytical indicator at NUTS2 level :
Type A.2: Typology combining several indicators at NUTS2 level: A set of criteria describing
Type A.3: Analytical indicator or typologies at NUTS3 or NUTS2-3 levels
Type B: ESPON STRATEGIC EXPLORATORY MAPS
Type B.1: Extended regional analysis:
Type B.2: Cities and regional size effects:
Type B.3: Zoom-in, grids and networks:
Type B.4: Zoom-out and long term trends. This

13. Evidences 80% of the ESPON maps are designed on NUTS nomenclature
87% of figures are composed of a unique map
79% of ESPON maps use a unique semiotic representation
68 % are choropleth maps
81% of maps are images constructed on European scale among which 55% use the restricted scale of the ESPON Space

14. Strengths and Weaknesses
Strong visual identity ;
No major mistakes in the use of graphic semiology;
Transfer of the data to the map generally well managed;
Data correctly identified 
BUT
Maps require better contextualisation and better legends;
Little originality, with a lot of elementary productions and too much standardisation (blue lines, base maps, colours, title, legend, orientation, sources....);
Marked homogeneity among maps;
Layout is never designed in relation with the map message.

15. Next steps …. In Greece : toward modernized
cartographic language for ESPON
The mapping guide explains how to enhance geographical data
How to transform and intergrate in a map, data available in the ESPON data platform
How to innovate with static and dynamic cartography in order to display the correct espon message to stakeholders.
Greehouse gas emission = we took some allready designed maps from

16. Application of the recommendations in the guide to ESPON maps : 1 example

17. Thank you for your attention Maps bring statistics to life !
For more information :
Maps bring statistics to life !
(R. Brunet, 1987)