Mapkist Earth (Prototype)
by KUMIKO YAMAZAKI on April 9, 2010 • atlas map openlayers • COMMENTI believe it’s time we show off our latest map creation: Mapkist Earth!!
Inspired by CEC’s North American Environment Atlas, Mapkist Earth is a prototype atlas with KML interactivity and custom tiles built on the OpenLayers platform. It currently shows Earth’s population density for the past, present and future (1950, 2010, 2050).
Each data layer consists of both map tiles and KML files which preserves the visual appeal of traditional cartography and adds the interactivity that is expected of web-based maps.
I’ve also started to look into Amazon S3 and their CloudFront service for faster rendering of map tiles. Not sure if this is the solution I need but it might be worth a try – I know how impatient internet users can be :)
Future plans for Mapkist Earth involve expanding it to become a full fledged educational atlas in this format following National Geography Standards. Topics covered will range from the characteristics and spatial distribution of the Earth’s environment to the cultural mosaics of human life!
Don’t forget to let us know what you think so far, thanks!
