Interactive Senate Maps Seek to Explain International Issues

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is offering a new webpage with a variety of interactive international maps using GIS technology.

From showcasing maps reflecting worldwide GDP growth rates and unemployment rates, to highlighting Freedom House’s annual country–by–country report on political rights and civil liberties, the newly launched feature on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee website helps visually tell important global stories and trends, the committee said.

“As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I want to find different ways to engage the public in key foreign policy issues, and the use of GIS technology is one way to do that,” said Chairman Menendez. “These dynamic maps help bring a new dimension to understanding international issues in a quick and visual way. From relaunching the committee’s website, to establishing a committee twitterfeed, and now utilizing this mapping technology, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is reaching out to broader and more diverse audiences to increase engagement on international issues.”

The chairman’s maps were created using Esri’s Senate Analytical Mapping System, a product provided free–of–charge to congressional offices to conduct research and showcase trends using geospatial data visualizations.

A screengrab of the new map feature on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee website.