Rotate Globe to a Selected Country

A globe that turns to any country you click, with a plane flying a route around the world through eight cities. Satellite view shows the Earth from space.

  • Try it:
  • Click a country to turn the globe to it
  • Drag a city to move the route
Get the code JavaScript JSON
About this map

Turning the globe to a place

A globe shows only half the world at a time, so the map brings the place to the reader: on a click, the code animates rotationX and rotationY to the country's center. The same works for a search box or a list of places beside the map. The plane is a point on the route's line, so it follows the route and turns with it.

Good for

  • Pickers and search results on a globe
  • Round-the-world routes and trips
  • Story maps that travel from place to place

Think twice when

  • Places far apart: a flat map shows both at once
  • Small countries: zoom in as well as turning
  • Details of each leg: add a table of the route
For developers

Get the code.

Built with amCharts 5, a JavaScript library. The JavaScript includes your theme and renderer (canvas or SVG); the JSON also follows the changes you make with the controls.

Docs:AnimationsPoints on a lineMap line seriesEvents
// Create root element
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/getting-started/#Root_element
var root = am5.Root.new("chartdiv");

// Set themes
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/concepts/themes/
root.setThemes([
  am5themes_Animated.new(root),
  am5themes_Responsive.new(root)
]);

// Colors from the theme, so the map follows the theme
var colors = am5.ColorSet.new(root, {});

// Create the map chart
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/
var chart = root.container.children.push(am5map.MapChart.new(root, {
  // go to the home view once the map is fitted
  autoHome: true,
  panX: "rotateX", // a sideways drag spins the globe...
  panY: "rotateY", // ...and an up-down drag tilts it
  // hold Shift and drag to zoom in on a box
  boxZoom: "shift",
  minZoomLevel: 0.5,                    // can zoom out to half the size of the fitted globe
  projection: am5map.geoOrthographic(), // draws the world as a globe
  // Start (and go home) tilted towards the northern hemisphere, where the route runs
  rotationX: 20,
  rotationY: -35,
  homeRotationX: 20,
  homeRotationY: -35,
  paddingBottom: 20, // 20px of space around the globe on every side
  paddingTop: 20,
  paddingLeft: 20,
  paddingRight: 20,
  // near-black space behind the satellite picture, shown only with it
  background: am5.Rectangle.new(root, {
    fill: am5.color(0x101318),
    fillOpacity: 0
  })
}));

// Zoom control
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-pan-zoom/#Zoom_control
var zoomControl = chart.set("zoomControl", am5map.ZoomControl.new(root, {}));

// the home button is hidden by default
zoomControl.homeButton.set("visible", true);

// Create series for background fill
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-polygon-series/#Background_polygon
var backgroundSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapPolygonSeries.new(root, {}));

backgroundSeries.mapPolygons.template.setAll({
  fill: root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground"), // the theme's contrast color, dark on light
  fillOpacity: 0.05, // at 5%, only a faint tint
  strokeOpacity: 0   // no outline
});

backgroundSeries.data.push({
  geometry: am5map.getGeoRectangle(90, 180, -90, -180) // north, east, south and west edges: the whole world
});

// Satellite view: NASA's picture of the Earth by day, under the grid lines and the countries. Hidden at first
// (visible: false): make it visible for the satellite view
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-raster-series/
var satelliteSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapRasterSeries.new(root, {
  visible: false,
  // the map fits the countries, not the whole picture
  affectsBounds: false
}));

// Create graticule series
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/graticule-series/
var graticuleSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.GraticuleSeries.new(root, {
  step: 10 // a grid line every 10 degrees
}));

graticuleSeries.mapLines.template.setAll({
  stroke: root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground"), // the contrast color...
  strokeOpacity: 0.08 // ...very faint
});

// Create main polygon series for countries
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-polygon-series/
var polygonSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapPolygonSeries.new(root, {
  geoJSON: am5geodata_worldLow // the world's countries, low detail
}));

polygonSeries.mapPolygons.template.setAll({
  tooltipText: "{name}", // the country's name, from the map data
  toggleKey: "active",   // a click toggles the country's active state, which turns the globe
  interactive: true,     // reacts to hover and clicks
  strokeWidth: 0.5       // thin borders
});

// Hover and active fill the country in the theme's button colors (over the satellite picture they turn to outlines)
polygonSeries.mapPolygons.template.states.create("hover", {
  fill: root.interfaceColors.get("primaryButtonHover"),
  fillOpacity: 1
});

// The selected country stays highlighted
polygonSeries.mapPolygons.template.states.create("active", {
  fill: root.interfaceColors.get("primaryButtonActive"),
  fillOpacity: 1
});

// Create point series for the cities on the route
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-point-series/
var citySeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapPointSeries.new(root, {}));

citySeries.bullets.push(function() {
  // Cities can be dragged; the route and the plane follow
  var container = am5.Container.new(root, {
    tooltipText: "{name}",
    draggable: true,
    cursorOverStyle: "move" // a move cursor over the city
  });

  container.events.on("dragged", function(ev) {
    // turn the drop spot into a longitude and latitude and move the city there
    var geoPoint = chart.invert({ x: container.x(), y: container.y() });
    ev.target.dataItem.setAll({
      longitude: geoPoint.longitude,
      latitude: geoPoint.latitude
    });
  });

  // Outer ring
  container.children.push(am5.Circle.new(root, {
    radius: 7,      // 7px...
    fillOpacity: 0, // ...hollow...
    stroke: root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground"), // ...in the theme's contrast color...
    strokeWidth: 2 // ...2px wide
  }));

  // Dot in the middle
  container.children.push(am5.Circle.new(root, {
    radius: 3, // a 3px dot
    fill: root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground")
  }));

  return am5.Bullet.new(root, {
    sprite: container
  });
});

citySeries.data.setAll([
  { id: "london", name: "London", latitude: 51.5074, longitude: -0.1278 },
  { id: "new-york", name: "New York", latitude: 40.7128, longitude: -74.0060 },
  { id: "los-angeles", name: "Los Angeles", latitude: 34.0522, longitude: -118.2437 },
  { id: "tokyo", name: "Tokyo", latitude: 35.6762, longitude: 139.6503 },
  { id: "sydney", name: "Sydney", latitude: -33.8688, longitude: 151.2093 },
  { id: "singapore", name: "Singapore", latitude: 1.3521, longitude: 103.8198 },
  { id: "dubai", name: "Dubai", latitude: 25.2048, longitude: 55.2708 },
  { id: "sao-paulo", name: "Sao Paulo", latitude: -23.5505, longitude: -46.6333 }
]);

// Create line series for the route around the world
// https://www.amcharts.com/docs/v5/charts/map-chart/map-line-series/
var routeSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapLineSeries.new(root, {
  pointSeries: citySeries // the route's pointIds name cities in this series
}));

routeSeries.mapLines.template.setAll({
  stroke: colors.getIndex(10), // the 11th theme color
  strokeOpacity: 0.9,          // nearly opaque
  strokeWidth: 1.5,            // 1.5px wide
  strokeDasharray: [2, 2],     // dotted: 2px dash, 2px gap
  // raised 1,000 km off the globe; the plane flies along at the same height
  altitude: 1000000
});

// The route connects the cities by their ids and ends where it started
routeSeries.data.setAll([
  { id: "route", pointIds: ["london", "new-york", "los-angeles", "tokyo", "sydney", "singapore", "dubai", "sao-paulo", "london"] }
]);

// Create point series for the plane that flies the route
var planeSeries = chart.series.push(am5map.MapPointSeries.new(root, {}));

planeSeries.bullets.push(function() {
  return am5.Bullet.new(root, {
    sprite: am5.Graphics.new(root, {
      svgPath: "M28 15h-6.5L14.9 5.2C14.7 4.8 14.2 4.6 13.8 4.6 12.8 4.6 12.2 5.5 12.5 6.4L15.6 15H8.5c0 0 0 0-1.8-2.2C6.5 12.6 6.3 12.4 6 12.4H5.3C4.8 12.4 4.5 12.8 4.6 13.2L5.9 17.6l-1.3 4.4C4.5 22.4 4.8 22.8 5.3 22.8h.8c.3 0 .5-.2.7-.4C8.5 20.2 8.5 20.2 8.5 20.2h7.1l-3.2 8.6C12.2 29.7 12.8 30.6 13.8 30.6c.5 0 .9-.2 1.2-.6L21.5 20.2h6.5c1.4 0 2.6-1.2 2.6-2.6S29.4 15 28 15z",
      scale: 0.7,       // 70% of the icon's size
      centerX: am5.p50, // the plane's middle...
      centerY: am5.p50, // ...on the route
      fill: root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground"), // the theme's contrast color
      // Shadow on the ground makes the plane look like it's flying above the globe: dark in light and dark mode
      shadowColor: am5.color(0x000000),
      shadowBlur: 4,      // blurred over 4px
      shadowOffsetX: 4,   // 4px to the right...
      shadowOffsetY: 6,   // ...and 6px down
      shadowOpacity: 0.7, // 70% opaque
      // Fly around the world, over and over
      animations: [{
        target: "dataItem",    // animates a value of the data item, not of the sprite
        key: "positionOnLine", // how far along the route, from 0 to 1
        from: 0,
        to: 1,
        duration: 30000, // 30 seconds a lap
        loops: 0         // 0 means forever
      }]
    })
  });
});

// The plane sits on the route and turns to follow it
planeSeries.data.setAll([
  { lineId: "route", positionOnLine: 0, autoRotate: true }
]);

// Rotate the globe to the country that was clicked
var previousPolygon;

polygonSeries.mapPolygons.template.on("active", function(active, target) {
  if (previousPolygon && previousPolygon != target) {
    previousPolygon.set("active", false);
  }
  if (target.get("active")) {
    selectCountry(target.dataItem.get("id"));
  }
  previousPolygon = target;
});

// turn the globe so the country is in the middle
function selectCountry(id) {
  var dataItem = polygonSeries.getDataItemById(id);
  var target = dataItem.get("mapPolygon");
  if (target) {
    var centroid = target.geoCentroid(); // the country's center, as longitude and latitude
    if (centroid) {
      // rotating by minus the country's center brings it to the middle of the globe
      chart.animate({ key: "rotationX", to: -centroid.longitude, duration: 1500, easing: am5.ease.inOut(am5.ease.cubic) });
      chart.animate({ key: "rotationY", to: -centroid.latitude, duration: 1500, easing: am5.ease.inOut(am5.ease.cubic) });
    }
  }
}

// The image credit
var credit = chart.children.push(am5.Label.new(root, {
  text: "Imagery: NASA Earth Observatory",
  fontSize: 12,              // 12px text
  fill: am5.color(0xffffff), // white, on the dark space
  fillOpacity: 0.6,          // a little dimmed
  x: am5.p100,               // at the right edge...
  centerX: am5.p100,         // ...measured to the label's right end...
  dx: -10,                   // ...then 10px back in
  y: 10,                     // 10px from the top
  visible: false             // shown only with the satellite picture
}));

// The countries' own look, to go back to
var landTemplate = polygonSeries.mapPolygons.template;
var landLook = {
  fillOpacity: landTemplate.get("fillOpacity", 1),
  stroke: landTemplate.get("stroke", root.interfaceColors.get("background")),
  strokeOpacity: landTemplate.get("strokeOpacity", 1)
};

// Hovered and picked countries: filled on the map, only a bright outline over the satellite picture
var hoverState = landTemplate.states.lookup("hover");
var activeState = landTemplate.states.lookup("active");
var markedLook = { fillOpacity: 1, strokeOpacity: landLook.strokeOpacity, strokeWidth: landTemplate.get("strokeWidth", 1) };
var outlineLook = { fillOpacity: 0, strokeOpacity: 1, strokeWidth: 2 };

// The picture loads the first time it shows. Then the countries turn to white outlines over it, the grid lines,
// the cities and the plane turn white, the credit shows and the map sits in near-black space
satelliteSeries.on("visible", function(visible) {
  if (visible) {
    satelliteSeries.set("src", "https://cdn.amcharts.com/lib/5/geodata/images/earthDay2048.jpg");
  }
  credit.set("visible", visible);
  chart.get("background").set("fillOpacity", visible ? 1 : 0);
  var look = visible ? { fillOpacity: 0, stroke: am5.color(0xffffff), strokeOpacity: 0.6 } : landLook;
  landTemplate.setAll(look);
  hoverState.setAll(visible ? outlineLook : markedLook);
  activeState.setAll(visible ? outlineLook : markedLook);
  // a country hovered before kept the look it had then as its own and as its default one: give it the new look,
  // the picked country as marked, the others as plain land
  polygonSeries.mapPolygons.each(function (polygon) {
    var defaultState = polygon.states.lookup("default");
    if (defaultState) {
      defaultState.setAll(look);
    }
    polygon.setAll(polygon.get("active") ? (visible ? outlineLook : markedLook) : look);
  });
  // white over the picture, where the theme's contrast color is lost on the dark ocean
  var markColor = visible ? am5.color(0xffffff) : root.interfaceColors.get("alternativeBackground");
  graticuleSeries.mapLines.template.set("stroke", markColor);
  // each city's ring and dot, and the plane, were drawn by their bullet functions: recolor the drawn ones
  citySeries.dataItems.forEach(function (dataItem) {
    var city = dataItem.bullets && dataItem.bullets[0].get("sprite");
    if (city) {
      city.children.getIndex(0).set("stroke", markColor); // the outer ring
      city.children.getIndex(1).set("fill", markColor);   // the dot in the middle
    }
  });
  planeSeries.dataItems.forEach(function (dataItem) {
    var plane = dataItem.bullets && dataItem.bullets[0].get("sprite");
    if (plane) {
      plane.set("fill", markColor);
    }
  });
});

// Make stuff animate on load
chart.appear(1000, 100);

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