Creating map of countries colored using country statistics

I want to create a PNG (or GIF) image, with geopolitical map of countries, where each country has color set according to some country statistics (e.g. 'USA' has n, 'Canada' has m, etc.).

Something similar to LogToMap, but there is no need to generate it dynamically and/or being interactive. Data source is external file.

Solution 1:

Just because I think you are probably dealing with log-type data, I'd probably go with R and probably the ggplot2 library.

These two resources should get you started:

• ggplot2 drills (scroll down to "Players data set")
• Maps with ggplot2

There is, of course, also QGIS and GRASS GIS in the open-source full-blown GIS realm. I'm discounting ESRI's ArcMap just based on cost alone.

Solution 2:

A word of warning - Google Map Charts doesn't recognise ALL the countries in the ISO list mentioned, so its usefulness will depend on which countries you wish to graph data for. I've not found a definitive list of which ones it doesn't like, but am working on one at the minute based on dummy data (flooded the database with an entry for EVERY country in the ISO list and sending this up to the API a few at a time to check which ones aren't used).