Graduated Figure Map
A class of thematic maps that use proportional figures at particular locations to represent the quantity or intensity of a phenomenon at each site. The most common form of graduated figure map is one that presents circles proportional to a value that it represents. Most graduated figure thematic mapping programs solve problems of overlapping figures by plotting smaller figures above larger ones. Most packages are standard groups of shapes that can be plotted in proportion, but the programs also provide options to allow user-defined arbitrary figures for special thematic maps. Multivariate displays can be generated with graduated figure mapping packages by presenting more than one type of figure or varying the color, size, and shape of a figure to depict multiple variables in a single display (height and width of the figure controlled by different variables).