Charts / Questions

The best chart for space and place

Nine charts, and when each one fits.

Short answer

For values by country or state, use a tile map. For events on a surface, such as clicks, use a hex grid. For reach from one point, use isochrone rings, and for a route, a route line. When the ranking matters more than the map, use bars.

Updated Nov 2, 2026 · Logistics sample data

Parcels delivered in 16 countries, September 2026, thousands
Country	Parcels
Germany	12.4K
Netherlands	10.1K
Belgium	6.8K
France	5.2K
Poland	4.6K
Austria	3.1K
Czechia	2.7K
Denmark	2.4K
Sweden	2.2K
Italy	2.0K
Spain	1.8K
United Kingdom	1.6K
Norway	0.9K
Finland	0.7K
Ireland	0.6K
Iceland	0.1K

029 · Tile mapEvery country as an equal tile, shaded by parcels.

Parcels delivered, the top eight countries
Country	Parcels
Germany	12.4K
Netherlands	10.1K
Belgium	6.8K
France	5.2K
Poland	4.6K
Austria	3.1K
Czechia	2.7K
Denmark	2.4K

007 · Horizontal barsThe same countries ranked: Germany leads with 12.4K.

Parcels delivered by region
Region	Countries	Parcels
Central	DE, AT, CZ, PL	22.8K
Benelux and France	NL, BE, FR	22.1K
Nordics	DK, SE, NO, FI, IS	6.3K
South and West	IT, ES, UK, IE	6.0K

009 · LollipopThe same total in four regions.

Same 57.2K parcels

The tile map shows where, the bars rank the countries, and the lollipop sums the regions. Three countries, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, take 51% of all parcels.

If you ask

Where is it highest?
Use a029 · Tile map
Where on the page do people click?
Use a028 · Hex grid
How far can we reach in an hour?
Use a088 · Isochrone rings
Where is the van on its route?
Use a057 · Route line
Which door or bay is busy?
Use a058 · Yard map
Which parts drifted from target?
Use a089 · Drift arrows

All nine

TypeUse it whenData shape

024 · HeatmapTwo dimensions, shaded by valueA value per cell of two dimensions

028 · Hex gridWhere clicks pile up on a pageHot spots per page and a click count

029 · Tile mapCountries as equal tiles, shaded by valueA tile per country or state with a shade step, and the list rows

057 · Route lineOne route, stop by stop, done and to comeStops in order with a time each

058 · Yard mapEvery dock door and what is at itA state per door or slot

059 · Shelf planogramShelves, facing by facing, with stock levelsProducts in position with a stock level

076 · Load planHow full each truck is, and with whatSpace per cargo type per vehicle

088 · Isochrone ringsHow far you get from one point in set timesA centre, time rings and points

089 · Drift arrowsHow far each part drifted from its targetA target and a current share per part

Common mistakes

Big countries that look important

On a real map area wins. A tile map gives every place the same room.

A map for a ranking

If the order matters more than the place, use bars.

Too many shades

Five steps of one colour read better than a rainbow.

Get all nine

Every space-and-place chart, and the other 123 types.

In Figma and React, in four sizes, light and dark. Pay once, every update.

See the nine in Charts

See plans

Questions

Tile map or real map?

A tile map when every place should count the same; a real map when shape and distance matter.

Can a tile map show states or regions?

Yes, any set of places laid out roughly where they sit.

Which chart shows delivery reach?

Isochrone rings: bands of travel time around a depot.

Do these charts come in every size?

Yes. All of them come in XS, S, M and L, each laid out again for its size, in light and dark.

Not sure it is about place? Start from what the chart has to show.

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