Create a Heat Map in 2 Easy Steps

In this guide we’ll show you how to import a zipped shape file and create a heat map in just a few clicks. We’ll use a working example, using this Nuclear Reactors 2011 file to create a heatmap of global nuclear reactors.

A heat map (or heatmap) is a graphical representation of data where the individual values contained in a matrix are represented as colours. Wikipedia

Time to complete: 10 mins.

1. Getting started

1.1 Download your files

1.2 Create a new map

1.3 Import data and add to map

2. Create the heatmap

2.1 Applying heatmap rules

2.2 Applying the heatmap style to your map

1. Getting started

1.1. Download files

Nuclear Reactors 2011

(Original file downloaded from Sharegeo Open - NuclearReactors2011 "This data is made available under the Public Domain Dedication and License v1.0 whose full text can be found at opendatacommons.org"

1.2. Create a new map

Click on MAPS section and select CREATE MAP.

This will open up the first page of the map creation wizard.

Name your new map and select NEXT.

1.3. Import data and add to map

At this stage you have a number of options. You can create a brand new layer for your map by selecting the CREATE LAYER button. Alternatively you can choose to upload one or many of your existing layers onto your map (your full list of layers will appear), or you choose to create an empty map.

When you try to load a map without any layers attached you will get the below warning.

In this case however, we'll choose the CREATE LAYER button. You'll be prompted with the below pop-up. Select YES, GO.

This will automatically bring you to the first step of the CREATE DATASETS wizard. Choose "Create Dataset"

Choose IMPORT DATASETS and click NEXT.

Drag and drop the earlier downloaded zip file.

After upload, the projection is automatically chosen and a suggested name is added for your new layer based on the filename (choose any name you would like).

Click IMPORT to import the layer (this may take a few seconds - the larger the dataset the longer it takes).

After successful import the map will load with the default styling (little red squares).

2. Create the heatmap

Click on in the map layer tree view to open the styler (Each layer will have a small preview of its style legend on its left - you can hover over it for a full legend view).

The styler will open in the side panel.

Click on output type and select "HEATMAP". Click SAVE CHANGES.

You will notice that the red dots that used to be on the map, have changed now to, red blue & green circles on the styler.

Double click on this will open up a new side menu where we can apply rules to the heat map.

2.1. Apply heat map rules

In the 'Heat Map Rules' window you can have a few options:

Set the opacity (transparency) for the heat map

Choose the attribute of the data on which to style the heat map - For this dataset the best attribute to choose is 'totalpower' - this will highlight the most powerful nuclear stations