In thematic cartography, map, cartogram and diacartogram are distinguished.

The map is a planarized, proportionally downscaled, simplified and described depiction of the geospace or of one of its components at a specific point in time.

Cartogram is a term for maps, which basically communicate results of statistical countings and measurements within a geospatial context.

A diacartogram is a cartogram for which the graphical depiction is realized by using charts of amounts and numbers or groups, intervals and relations, respectively.

The cartographer decides depending on the intended statement if a map or a cartogram is more suitable. The following interaction shows this difference with two examples in a graphical way.