MasterMaps

KML/KMZ files can be overlaid on Google Maps, either on the Google Maps website , or by using the GGeoXML class of the Google Maps API ( see example ). Google Maps Google Maps API Google Earth The KMZ file ( download ) displayed above was generated by the Thematic Mapping Engine . Only a subset of the KML standard is so far supported by Google Maps. The shaded plygons are properly displayed, but not the screen overlays (title and legend) and balloons. The different placement of the zoom bar in Google Maps and Google Earth makes it difficult to display the same KML/KMZ file in multiple viewers. I'm impressed by the speed of Google Maps. The above KMZ file contains complex geometries of almost 200 countries of the world. Web browsers are not optimized for vector graphics, as illustrated on this page . To avoid this problem, Google seems to use its powerful servers to generate image map tiles on-the-fly from the KML geometries. A bug in the map tile generator was discovered when disp...

I'm about to recover from my workaholism after an extremely busy year in Edinburgh. I've spent the last weeks hiking and biking in the Norwegian mountains. The holidays are over, now it's back to work. This blog post shows how statistical data on a subnational level can be visualised with KML. I could not find UK data due to lack of data access and restrictive licensing rules. Luckily, Statistics Norway considers official statistics as "a tool for democracy": "Official statistics and analyses based on statistics shall provide the general public, businesses and the authorities with information about the structure and development of society. Such information strengthens democracy and forms the basis for a sustainable economic, social and environmental development. To this end, official statistics must be produced on an impartial basis, be of a high quality and made available for the common good of society ." ( This is Statistcs Norway ) StatBa...