[R] separate maps in one figure

[John P. Burkett]

My aim is to create a figure consisting of three maps: Alaska in the 
upper left corner, the 48 contiguous US states in the center right, and 
Hawaii in the lower left corner.  In some ways the figure I'm trying to 
create is analogous to figure 1.5 in Paul Murrell's excellent "R 
Graphics", which combines a map of New Zealand with a map of the world. 
  I tried adapting the code for that figure, 
http://www.stat.auckland.ac.nz/~paul/RGraphics/examples-map.R
However, the following problem has me stumped:  New Zealand lies along a 
  N.E. - S.W. axis, leaving room in the bottom right (or top left) 
corner of a figure for a small map of the world.  In contrast the 48 
contiguous states nearly fill a rectangular figure, leaving no room for 
Alaska in the upper left and little room for Hawaii in the lower left. 
I haven't figured out how to make space in a figure for the 3 maps.  I'm 
aware of the grid package but suspect that its strictly rectangular 
layout will leave too much empty space in the figure.

Suggestions for positioning three maps in one figure would be very welcome.

-John

-- 
John P. Burkett
Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics
and Department of Economics
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI 02881-0808
USA

phone (401) 874-9195