🎯 Learning Objectives
- Apply Symbology Rules to create visual hierarchy (e.g., thicker lines for major boundaries).
- Design a professional Print Layout with all essential map elements (Title, Scale, Legend, North Arrow).
- Download external data from authoritative sources like GADM.
- Export high-resolution PDFs for publication.
📂 Scenario: The Country Report
You work for an international NGO. They need a clean, professional reference map of the administrative divisions of a specific country for their annual report. You cannot just take a screenshot of Google Maps; it must be a custom vector map.
GADM.org (Global Administrative Areas)
You will download your own country data.
🛠️ Step-by-Step Instructions
Select your preferred GIS platform to view instructions:
Download & Import
1. Download the Shapefile ZIP for a country (e.g., Ireland, Costa Rica) from GADM.
2. Unzip it.
3. Add layers ending in _0 (National), _1 (State/Province), and _2 (County/District).
4. Put _0 on top, then _1, then _2.
Symbology: Visual Hierarchy
1. ADM2 (Bottom): Fill: No Color. Outline: 0.5pt Gray.
2. ADM1 (Middle): Fill: No Color. Outline: 1.5pt Darker Gray.
3. ADM0 (Top): Fill: No Color. Outline: 3.0pt Black.
Result: The eye naturally sees the country border first, then regions, then districts.
Layout View
1. Insert > New Layout > Letter (8.5 x 11).
2. Insert > Map Frame. Draw a box to place your map.
3. Add Dynamic Text > Title.
4. Insert Legend, Scale Bar, North Arrow.
5. Share > Export Layout > PDF.
✅ Submission & Assessment
To complete this lab, you must submit:
- The PDF Map: A professional map of your chosen country.
- Design Checklist: Does it have a clear hierarchy? Is the title descriptive? Is the scale bar rounded and readable?