markrmccracken/benin-population-spike-map

# Benin Population Spike Map This project creates a **3D population density “spike” map of Benin** using openly available data from the Kontur Population dataset.\ It uses R and the `rayshader` package to render a high-quality 3D visualization of population density. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## Features - Automated download of the latest Kontur Population dataset for Benin. - Handles `.gz` extraction automatically and skips re-downloading if files already exist. - Uses **tidyverse**, **sf**, **stars**, and **rayshader** to: - Load population raster data, - Convert it to a matrix, - Render a 3D spike map. - Outputs a high-resolution PNG ready for sharing. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## Requirements - R ≥ 4.3 - The following R packages: - `tidyverse` - `R.utils` - `httr` - `sf` - `stars` - `rayshader` ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ## How to Run 1. Clone this repository: ```` ```bash ```` `git clone github.com` `cd benin-spike-map` 2. Open benin-spike-map.R in RStudio or any R IDE 3. Run the whole script: `source("benin-spike-map.R")` ## Acknowledgements This project is heavily inspired by and adapted from the work of the original author Milos Popovic. Watch the excellent tutorial here: 📺 YouTube Video Tutorial Please check out and support their work! ## License This repository is shared under the same license as the original author’s code where applicable. All underlying population data © Kontur.io under their respective terms.