The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed a new world map that more accurately represents the size of Africa, a move that saw the United States vote against the resolution. The decision follows a campaign led by African countries and advocacy groups seeking to correct perceived distortions in traditional cartography.
The resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by members of the African Union, passed with 164 member states in favor. Six countries—Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine—abstained from the vote.
This endorsement encourages governments and institutions globally to consider replacing the 16th-century Mercator projection with the Equal Earth projection. Proponents argue that the Equal Earth projection displays landmasses in their true proportions. For example, the Mercator map depicts Greenland and Africa as roughly equal in size, while the Equal Earth projection illustrates Africa as approximately 14 times larger than Greenland.
The UN resolution does not mandate the elimination of the Mercator projection but rather encourages the adoption of the Equal Earth alternative. Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated before the vote that maps influence understanding of the world, guiding education and shaping perceptions.
Africa No Filter, a key campaigner for the new map, expressed a desire for accurate maps to be used in educational materials, newsrooms, businesses, and digital platforms. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot noted that correcting a distorted representation is an "act of truth."
The Mercator map was originally created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator to aid European navigators at sea. Critics contend that its design enlarges regions near the poles, such as North America and Greenland, while diminishing the perceived size of Africa and South America. Geographers suggest the traditional map's utility is confined to navigation, with Syracuse University professor Mark Monmonier asserting it has no other practical application.