The United Nations General Assembly on Friday passed a resolution endorsing a new world map projection that more accurately depicts the size of Africa. The resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by members of the African Union, passed with 164 member states in favor. The United States was the only country to vote against the measure, while six other nations abstained.
The vote encourages governments and institutions to adopt the Equal Earth projection, which advocates say shows continents in their true proportions, over the traditional Mercator map that has been in common use since the 16th century. The Mercator projection, designed for navigation, distorts landmasses by making regions near the poles appear larger and shrinking those closer to the equator. For example, it shows Greenland and Africa as roughly equal in size, whereas the Equal Earth projection illustrates Africa as being 14 times larger than Greenland.
Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated before the vote, "Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions." Africa No Filter, a group that campaigned for the map's adoption, expressed a desire to see accurate maps used in educational materials, newsrooms, businesses, and digital platforms.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot commented on X, formerly Twitter, after the vote, stating, "Changing the map obviously doesn’t change the world. But correcting a representation that distorts it is already an act of truth." Geographers note that the Mercator map's utility is largely confined to its original purpose of maritime navigation.
The resolution does not ban the Mercator projection but recommends the Equal Earth projection as a more accurate representation of global landmasses.