What percentage of their income do people around the world spend on food?

Americans spend only 6.4% of their household income on food. This is according to the latest figures collected by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Generally speaking, the more developed a country is, the smaller percentage of household income it spends on food, as this map shows.

Thematic maps are a way of visualizing spatial data and can therefore be powerful tools for transmitting information. We'll highlight the characteristics of thematic maps, as well as the major types of thematic maps you're likely to come across and the symbols that go with them. As you read this explanation, think about the importance of the visual representation of information.