ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kirwan map

Okay kiddo, have you ever looked at a big map of your town or the world and seen all the different colors and lines on it? That's because maps are really helpful in showing us where things are and how to get there.

Now, a Kirwan map is a special type of map that's used to show how different places in a city or town are connected. It's named after a man named Richard Kirwan who came up with the idea back in the 18th century.

The way a Kirwan map works is that it groups different areas of a city or town together based on how easy it is to travel between them. So, areas that are really close together or have easy transportation connections would be in the same group, while areas that are harder to get to would be in a different group.

The map also uses different colors to show how developed or modern each area is. So, places with lots of buildings and businesses might be shaded darker than places with lots of open space or farmland.

All of this information helps people who live or work in the city to better understand how to get around and what areas are more important than others. So, a Kirwan map is really just another type of map that helps people understand how a city is organized and connected.