Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Population density is positively correlated with factors from all levels of
classification, largely with Human/Artificial Features, Accessibility and
Transport (
Tables 5 to 8
), and more specifically, Road and Canals (
Tables
9 to 12
). One of the highest values of all is the significant positive correla-
tion coefficient of 0.743 between population density and the number of
symbols counted in the Road category, as shown in
Table 12
. It is curious
that this test exhibits a stronger correlation than the degree of association
found between the Road category and the number of cars in use.
3.2.2 Human Development Indicator Ranking and Value
The Human Development Indicator (HDI) is used by the United Nations to
measure human development according to prospects for a long and healthy
life, education and standard of living. It combines a number of variables
(life expectancy, adult literacy, gross enrolment in primary, secondary, and
tertiary education, and GDP per capita [PPP]) to determine an index value
between zero and one (Maher 2006, p.vi). In this study, two sets of signifi-
cant correlations were found between HDI ranking and value and topog-
raphic map symbology. These concern the classes of Water Management
and Utilization and Vegetation, to the effect that the lower the HDI ranking
(i.e., furthest from one) and value, the smaller the proportion of symbols
tends to be devoted to these two types of feature (
Table 12
). As shown in
Table 13
below, which uses data compiled from the same tests, countries
that are less dependent on agriculture and more on services are more likely
to exhibit a higher standard of living as measured by the HDI. The topo-
graphic map symbology thus reflects this correlation to a similar extent.
Table 13:
Results of Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient tests between HDI
data and general structure of the economy (grey = no significant correlation; bold = corre-
lation significant at the 0.01 level; source data compiled from
The Economist
2005 and
Maher 2006)
