Question

Describe and illustrate important steps to be followed in preparing a choropleth map.

Answer 1

The Choropleth maps are drawn to prepare the characteristics of data as they are related to the administrative units. These means are used to represent the literacy rate, sex ratio, and density of the population.

Steps to be followed:

1. Arrange the data in ascending or descending order.
2. Group the data into 5 categories to represent very high, high, medium, low, and very low concentrations.
3. The interval between the categories may be identified on the following formula, i.e. Range/5 and Range = maximum value – minimum value.
4. Patterns, shades, or colours to be used to depict the chosen categories should be marked in an increasing or decreasing order.

Original Data on Literacy in India
SI.No.	States/Union territories	Literacy Rate
1.	Jammu 8s Kashmir	55.5
2.	Himachal Pradesh	76.5
3.	Punjab	69.7
4.	Chandigarh	81.9
5.	Uttarakhand	71.6
6.	Haryana	67.9
7.	Delhi	81.7
8.	Rajasthan	60.4
9.	Uttar Pradesh	56.3
10.	Bihar	47.0
11.	Sikkim	68.8
12.	Arunachal Pradesh	54.3
13.	Nagaland	66.6
14.	Manipur	70.5
15.	Mizoram	88.8
16.	Tripura	73.2
17.	Meghalaya	62.6
18.	Assam	63.3
19.	West Bengal	68.6
20.	Jharkhand	53.6
21.	Odisha	63.1
22.	Chhattisgarh	64.7
23.	Madhya Pradesh	63.7
24.	Gujarat	69.1
25.	Daman & Diu	78.2
26.	Dadra 8s Nagar Haveli	57.6
27.	Maharashtra	76.9
28.	Andhra Pradesh	60.5
29.	Karnataka	66.6
30.	Goa	82.0
31.	Lakshadweep	86.7
32.	Kerala	90.9
33.	Tamil Nadu	73.5
34.	Puducherry	81.2
35.	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	81.3

 

Original Data on Literacy in India
SI.No.	States/Union territories	Literacy Rate
10.	Bihar	47.0
20.	Jharkhand	53.6
12.	Arunachal Pradesh	54.3
01.	Jammu 8s Kashmir	55.5
9.	Uttar Pradesh	56.3
26.	Dadra 8s Nagar Haveli	57.6
08.	Rajasthan	60.4
28.	Andhra Pradesh	60.5
17.	Meghalaya	62.6
21.	Odisha	63.1
18.	Assam	63.3
23.	Madhya Pradesh	63.7
22.	Chhattisgarh	64.7
13.	Nagaland	66.6
29.	Karnataka	66.6
06:	Haryana	67.9
19.	West Bengal	68.6
11.	Sikkim	68.8
24.	Gujarat	69.1
03.	Punjab	69.7
14.	Manipur	70.5
05.	Uttarakhand	71.6
16.	Tripura	73.2
33.	Tamil Nadu	73.5
02.	Himachal Pradesh	76.5
27.	Maharashtra	76.9
25.	Daman & Diu	78.2
34.	Puducherry	81.2
35.	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	81.3
07.	Delhi	81.7
04.	Chandigarh	81.9
30.	Goa	82.0
31.	Lakshadweep	86.7
15.	Mizoram	88.8
32.	Kerala	90.9

Construction:

1. Arrange the data in ascending order as shown above.
2. Identify the range within the data. The states recording the lowest and highest literacy rates are Bihar (47%) and Kerala (90.9%) respectively. Hence, the range would be 91.0 – 47.0 = 44.0.
3. Divide the range by 5 to get categories from very low to very high. (44.0/ 5 = 8.80. We can convert this value to a round number say 9.0.
4. Determine the number of the categories along with the range of each category. Add 9.0 to the lowest value of 47.0 as so on.

The following categories will be obtained:

1. 47 – 56
   Very low (Bihar, Jharkhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir)
2. 56 – 65
   Low (Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya,
   Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh)
3. 65 – 74
   Medium (Nagaland, Karnataka, Haryana, West Bengal, Sikkim, Gujarat, Punjab, Manipur, Uttarakhand, Tripura, Tamil Nadu)
4. 74 – 83
   High (Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi, Goa)
5. 83 – 92
   Very High (Mizoram, Kerala)

Assign the shades/pattern to each category ranging from lower to higher hues