Cartograms

[deleted_user]

Hi

Can anyone tell me if SAS will let me create cartograms?
e.g:-
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/world-population-cartograms-47012201

Thanks
Neil

[JeffP]

The question is very open-ended. I think the answer you're probably looking for is that SAS does not have any product that produces cartograms. However, map data in SAS is in data sets and the coordinates can be manipulated using data step.

There are algorithms available that could be used and translated into data step to alter the coordinate map data to effectively make a cartogram.

I know that's not the answer you probably wanted, but at least "SAS will let [you] create" a cartogram. 🙂

[deleted_user]

Thanks Jeff - that was the answer I was looking for (i.e. a product).

I am new to SAS map and this whole area of SAS, never had to use it in 6 years. Do you know any good SUGI's or websites?

[GraphGuy]

Neil - the best book to help learn SAS/Graph "proc gmap" (in my opinion) is Mike Zdeb's book:

http://www.sas.com/apps/pubscat/bookdetails.jsp?pc=57495

To learn how to create some slightly fancier maps (and other graphs), the v6 "SAS/Graph Examples" book is very good. (The last time I checked, SAS still had a few copies of this book for sale.) Here is a page showing which graphs are covered in that book:

http://robslink.com/SAS/democd44/aaaindex.htm

I do not know of any books or papers describing how to use SAS to create the distorted "cartogram" maps you're asking about, though.