Thematic maps show how something is spread out over an area. These maps may show how much rain falls on different parts of the area, for example. You could easily see from that map which part of your state was the wettest, and which the direst. Or, this kind of map could show where the most people live in an area. Parts of the area where the most people live are shown in a dark color, and parts where few people live are shown in a light color.