lex_animate.R

library(idbr)
library(dplyr)
library(ggplot2)
library(tidyr)
library(countrycode)
library(gganimate)
library(tweenr)

ctrys <- countrycode(c('South Africa', 'Botswana', 'Lesotho', 'Namibia', 'Zimbabwe', 'Swaziland'), 
            'country.name', 'fips104')

idb_api_key("Your API key here")

full <- idb5(country = ctrys, year = 1985:2016, 
             variables = c('E0_F', 'E0_M'), country_name = TRUE)

df2 <- full %>%
  mutate(diff = E0_F - E0_M, ease = 'cubic-in-out') %>%
  select(-FIPS) %>%
  rename(Male = E0_M, Female = E0_F)

dft <- tween_elements(df2, time = 'time', group = 'NAME', ease = 'ease', 
                      nframes = 500)


dft <- dft %>%
  gather(Sex, value, Male, Female, -diff, -.group) 

g <- ggplot() + 
  geom_point(data = dft, aes(x = value, y = .group, color = Sex, frame = .frame), 
             size = 14) + 
  scale_color_manual(values = c('darkred', 'navy')) + 
  geom_text(data = dft, aes(x = value, y = .group, frame = .frame, 
                              label = as.character(round(dft$value, 1))),
            color = 'white', fontface = 'bold') +
  geom_text(data = dft, aes(x = 68.5, y = 1.5, frame = .frame, 
                label = round(dft$time, 0)), color = 'black', size = 12) + 
  theme_minimal(base_size = 16) + 
  theme(panel.grid.major.x = element_blank(), 
        panel.grid.minor.x = element_blank()) + 
  labs(y = '', 
       x = '', 
       caption = 'Data source: US Census Bureau IDB via the idbr R package', 
       title = 'Life expectancy at birth in southern Africa, 1985-2016')

gg_animate(g, interval = 0.05, ani.width = 800, ani.height = 700, title_frame = FALSE)