# How I made this: Dissolving regions and subregions You can create custom regions using the dissolve operation. Using drill-down dimensions, you can create a hierarchical relationship between the multiple dissolved areas. In this example, a map has been added that has USA states dissolved into regions and subregions. The maps use a drill-down dimension to create the hierarchy between region, subregion, and state. Map with dissolved regions of the USA Map with dissolved regions of the USA Map with dissolved regions of the USA Map with dissolved regions of the USA ![Example map of the United States dissolved into regions](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Resources/Images/GeoAnalytics/ui_dissolve-example.png) When you select a region, it drills down to the component subregions. Map with a dissolved region selected, showing dissolved subregions Map with a dissolved region selected, showing dissolved subregions Map with a dissolved region selected, showing dissolved subregions Map with a dissolved region selected, showing dissolved subregions ![Map with a region selected, now displaying dissolved subregions](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Resources/Images/GeoAnalytics/ui_dissolve-example-subregion.png) Selecting a subregion then displays the component states. Map with a subregion selected showing component states Map with a subregion selected showing component states Map with a subregion selected showing component states Map with a subregion selected showing component states ![Map of a selected subregion, now displaying individual component states](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Resources/Images/GeoAnalytics/ui_dissolve-example-state.png) Two drill-down dimensions are used to make this map. One contains the names of the regions and states. The second contains the geometry and is used as the location field. ## Data This example uses a single data set that is added inline in data load editor. [](https://help.qlik.com/en-US/cloud-services/Subsystems/Hub/Content/Global_Common/GeoOperationsFunctions/GeoOperations-Dissolve-Example.htm) #### Region data `Regions:` `LOAD * inline` `"` `State;RegionName;SubregionName` `Alabama,US;South;East South Central` `Alaska,US;West;Pacific` `Arizona,US;West;Mountain` `Arkansas,US;South;West South Central` `California,US;West;Pacific` `Colorado,US;West;Mountain` `Connecticut,US;Northeast;New England` `Delaware,US;South;South Atlantic` `Florida,US;South;South Atlantic` `Georgia,US;South;South Atlantic` `Hawaii,US;West;Pacific` `Idaho,US;West;Mountain` `Illinois,US;Midwest;East North Central` `Indiana,US;Midwest;East North Central` `Iowa,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Kansas,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Kentucky,US;South;East South Central` `Louisiana,US;South;West South Central` `Maine,US;Northeast;New England` `Maryland,US;South;South Atlantic` `Massachusetts,US;Northeast;New England` `Michigan,US;Midwest;East North Central` `Minnesota,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Mississippi,US;South;East South Central` `Missouri,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Montana,US;West;Mountain` `Nebraska,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Nevada,US;West;Mountain` `New Hampshire,US;Northeast;New England` `New Jersey,US;Northeast;Mid-Atlantic` `New Mexico,US;West;Mountain` `New York,US;Northeast;Mid-Atlantic` `North Carolina,US;South;South Atlantic` `North Dakota,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Ohio,US;Midwest;East North Central` `Oklahoma,US;South;West South Central` `Oregon,US;West;Pacific` `Pennsylvania,US;Northeast;Mid-Atlantic` `Rhode Island,US;Northeast;New England` `South Carolina,US;South;South Atlantic` `South Dakota,US;Midwest;West North Central` `Tennessee,US;South;East South Central` `Texas,US;South;West South Central` `Utah,US;West;Mountain` `Vermont,US;Northeast;New England` `Virginia,US;South;South Atlantic` `Washington,US;West;Pacific` `West Virginia,US;South;South Atlantic` `Wisconsin,US;Midwest;East North Central` `Wyoming,US;West;Mountain` `District of Columbia;South;South Atlantic` `"` `(delimiter is ';');` ## How I built this 1. Add the data into Data load editor. 2. Click Create new connection and select Qlik GeoOperations. 3. Click Create new connection. 4. Under Space, select the space where the connection will be located. 5. Select Qlik GeoOperations from the list of data connectors. 6. Click Create. 7. Under Data connections, click the Select data icon on your Qlik GeoOperations connection. 8. Under Operation, select Dissolve. 9. Set the following parameters: * Dissolve field: SubregionName * Resolution: Source. 10. Under Dataset 1, set the following parameters: * Type: Loaded table * Table name: Regions * Key field: State * Geometry type and field: Named area and State. 11. Select the table and select the following fields: * SubregionName * DissolvedPolygon 12. Click Insert script. 13. In the script, replace `DissolvedPolygon` with `DissolvedPolygon as SubregionPolygon`. Tip note When you are using multiple operations, it is important to rename default field names used by Qlik GeoOperations to avoid creating unwanted concatenations and loops in your load script. 14. Under Data connections, click the Select data icon on your Qlik GeoOperations connection. 15. Under Operation, select Dissolve. 16. Set the following parameters: * Dissolve field: RegionName * Resolution: Source. 17. Under Dataset 1, set the following parameters: * Type: Loaded table * Table name: Regions * Key field: State * Geometry type and field: Named area and State. 18. Select the table and select the following fields: * RegionName * DissolvedPolygon 19. Click Insert script. 20. In the script, replace `DissolvedPolygon` with `DissolvedPolygon as RegionPolygon`. 21. Load the data. 22. In the sheet view, create a drill-down dimension called Regions. Add the following fields to it, in order: * RegionName * SubregionName * State 23. Create a drill-down dimension called RegionPolygons. Add the following fields to it, in order: * RegionPolygon * SubregionPolygon * State 24. Add a map. 25. Add an area layer using Regions as the dimension. Set the following properties: * In Location, set the Location field to RegionPolygons. * In Colors, set Colors to Custom and do the following: * Select Persistent colors * Select 100 colors. * Set Opacity to 50%. * Set Outline color to 000000. 26. Center the region in the map and then set Limit pan navigation to Custom and click Set pan limit.