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This article is about Looker Studio. For Looker documentation, visit https://cloud.google.com/looker/docs/intro.

Geo chart reference

How to use and configure Geo charts.

A Geo chart provides an easy way to visualize how a measurement varies across a geographic area. The Looker Studio Geo chart is based on Google's GeoChart visualization.

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Geo charts in Looker Studio

A Looker Studio Geo chart requires you to provide 3 pieces of information:

  • a geographic dimension, such as Country, City, Region, etc.
  • a metric, such as Sessions, Units Sold, Population, etc.
  • the map's zoom area.

Learn more about geographic dimensions.

Zoom area

The zoom area determines how much of the world the map displays. It also can restrict the data shown by the Geo chart. For example, selecting the City dimension and setting the zoom area to Germany (DE), limits the Geo chart to showing cities in Germany. The map itself zooms in to focus on Germany.

If there isn't a 1:1 mapping between the selected geo field type and available zoom areas, you may be able to restrict the data using a filter, as shown in the examples below.

Geo chart examples

These examples get their data from a Google Analytics data source.

Example 1: Limit the map display to a specific country (e.g., France).

 Step 1: Set the dimension and visible area

  • Dimension: Country
  • Metric: Number of Sessions per User
  • Zoom Area: Western Europe

Step 2: Filter the country dimension to only include France.

  • Dimension: Country
  • Match Type: Equals
  • Expression: France

A geo chart of France shaded in blue with a data tooltip displays the metric Number of Sessions per User: 1.78 and a scale under the map ranging from 1.782 to 1.782 with a small black arrow pointing to the center of the two values.

Example 2: Display US state map

Step 1: Set the dimension and visible area

  • Dimension: Region
  • Metric: Number of Sessions per User
  • Visible Area: US

Step 2: Filter the country dimension to only include the United States

  • Dimension: Country
  • Match Type: Equals
  • Expression: United States

A geo chart of the United states in various shades of blue with Virginia in dark blue and a blue gradient scale from 1.022 to 1.857; the tooltip over Virginia displays the text Number of Sessions per User: 1.85.

 

Configure the chart

Add a new chart or select an existing chart. Then, on the right, use the Properties panel to configure the chart's Setup and Style tab properties.

Set up the chart data

The options in the SETUP tab determine how the chart's data is organized and displayed.

Data source

A data source provides the connection between the component and the underlying dataset. 

  • To change the chart's data source, click the current data source name.
  • To view or edit the data source, click Edit. (You must have at least view permission to see this icon.)
  • Click +BLEND DATA to see data from multiple data sources in the same chart. Learn more about data blending.

Dimension 

Dimensions are data categories. Dimension values (the data contained by the dimension) are names, descriptions, or other characteristics of a category.

A single valid geo dimension is required. See the geographic dimension details above.

Drill down

This option appears on charts that support it.

Drilling down gives viewers a way to reveal additional levels of detail within a chart. When you turn on the Drill down  optioneach dimension you add becomes another level of detail you can drill into. Learn more about chart drill down.

Date range dimension

This option appears if your data source has a valid date dimension.

Note: This option does not appear for Google Ads or Google Analytics data sources, as these automatically use a Date dimension.

The Date range dimension is used as the basis for limiting the date range of the chart. For example, this is the dimension used if you set a date range property for the chart, or if a viewer of the report uses a date range control to limit the time frame.

 
 

Metric

Metrics measure the things that are contained in dimensions and provide the numeric scale and data series for the chart.

Metrics are aggregations that come from the underlying data set, or that are the result of implicitly or explicitly applying an aggregation function, such as COUNT(), SUM(), or AVG(). The metric itself has no defined set of values, so you can’t group by it as you can with a dimension.

Learn more about aggregation.

Any single available metric is required. Your data will be displayed on the map using a color progression to indicate relative value, with higher intensity color gradient representing higher values than lower intensity colors. You can change the color of the map using the STYLE tab.

Zoom area

This limits the map display to the selected area. The choices available depend on the scope of the geo field type used for a given chart. For example, when a City geo field is selected, options for Visible Area are limited to Country and Region. When a Sub Continent Code field is selected, options for Visible Area are limited to World and Continent.

World Displays the entire world map.

Available with the following geo field types:

  • Continent
  • Continent Code
  • Sub Continent
  • Sub Continent Code
  • Country
  • Country Code
  • Latitude, Longitude
  • City
  • City Code
Continent Displays the selected continent.

Available with the following geo dimensions:

  • Sub Continent
  • Sub Continent Code
  • Country
  • Country Code
  • Latitude, Longitude
  • City
  • City Code
Subcontinent Displays the selected subcontinent.

Available with the following geo dimensions:

  • Country
  • Country Code
  • Latitude, Longitude
  • City
  • City Code
Country Displays the selected country.

Available with the following geo dimensions:

  • City
  • City Code
  • Metro
  • Metro Code
  • Region
  • Region Code
  • Latitude, Longitude
Region Displays the selected region.

Available with the following geo dimensions:

  • City
  • Metro Code (US only)

Default date range

The Default date range property lets you set a timeframe for an individual chart.

Default date range options

Auto Uses the default date range, which is determined by the chart's data source.
Custom Lets you use the calendar widget to select a custom date range for the chart.
Date compare type Displays comparison data for the selected time period.

Learn more about working with dates and time. 

Google Analytics segment

This option appears for charts based on a Universal Analytics data source.

A segment is a subset of your Analytics data. You can apply segments to your Looker Studio charts to help ensure that your Looker Studio and Google Analytics reports show the same data. Learn more about Analytics segments in Looker Studio.

Filter

Filters restrict the data that is displayed in the component by including or excluding the values that you specify. Learn more about the filter property.

Filter options

Filter name Click an existing filter to edit it. Mouse over the filter name and click X to delete it.
+Add a filter Click this option to create a new filter for the chart.

Chart interactions

When the Cross-filtering option is enabled on a chart, that chart acts like a filter control. You can filter the report by clicking or brushing your mouse across the chart. Learn more about cross-filtering.

Stylize the chart

The options in the Style tab control the overall presentation and appearance of the chart.

Geo chart

These properties control the appearance of the chart elements.

Max color value Sets the color for the highest value in the data range. Typically, this should be the darkest shade in the chart.
Mid color value Sets the color for the median value in the data range. Typically, this should be a medium shade.
Min color value Sets the color for the lowest value in the data range. Typically, this should be the lightest shade in the chart.
Show Legend Shows or hides the metric legend.
 
 

Background and border

These options control the appearance of the chart background container.

Background Sets the chart background color.
Border Radius Adds rounded borders to the chart background. When the radius is 0, the background shape has 90° corners. Border radius of 100° produces a circular shape.
Opacity Sets the chart opacity. 100% opacity completely hides objects behind the chart. 0% opacity makes the chart invisible.
Border Color Sets the chart border color.
Border Weight Sets the chart border line thickness.
Border Style Sets the chart border line style.
Add border shadow Adds a shadow to the chart's lower and right borders.

Chart header

The chart header lets viewers perform various actions on the chart, such as exporting the data, drilling up or down, or sorting the chart. Chart header options are as follows:

Show on hover (default) Three vertical dots appear when you mouse over the chart header. Click these to access the header options.
Always show The header options always appear.
Do not show The header options never appear. Note that report viewers can always access the options by right-clicking the chart.
Color Sets the color of the chart header options.

Geo chart limits

Geo charts include the first 5000 rows of data, unless otherwise mentioned for a field type. Chart data is sorted in descending order based on the selected metric.

Geo functions

Looker Studio provides a number of geo functions that can be used to work with and transform geographic information in your data sources.

To learn more about these functions, view the Looker Studio function list and filter the functions by Geo type.

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