Which type of map fills ranges of similar values with similar colors or patterns?

A choropleth map is designed to display quantitative data by filling geographic areas with different colors or patterns based on value ranges. This type of map effectively visualizes the spatial distribution of a phenomenon by using color scales, where similar values are represented by similar colors. For instance, in a choropleth map showing population density, areas with low density might be shaded light yellow while regions with high density could be dark red.

In the context of thematic representation, choropleth maps are particularly useful for showing how a variable differs across geographic regions, making it easier to identify trends and outliers. This method emphasizes the relationship between location and the value of the data being represented, helping viewers to interpret the significance of the data spatially.

While isarithmic maps also use color gradients to represent continuous data, they focus on isolines and are used for continuous phenomena, such as temperature or elevation, rather than categorical ranges. Proportional symbol maps use varying sizes of symbols to represent data magnitude at specific locations, rather than a fill pattern or color gradient across areas. Thematic maps is a broader category that includes various types, including choropleth maps, so it does not specifically indicate the use of color filling for ranges of values.