06/09/2026
UN Backs New World Map to Give Africa a More Accurate Place on the Globe
The United Nations General Assembly has backed a landmark proposal encouraging the use of the Equal Earth projection, a world map designed to represent the relative size of continents more accurately.
The resolution, spearheaded by Togo and supported by the African Union, passed with 164 countries voting in favor, one against and six abstaining. It does not legally ban the traditional Mercator projection, but encourages governments, schools, media organizations and technology companies to consider more accurate alternatives.
The debate centers on the Mercator projection, a map created in the 16th century primarily for navigation. While useful for sailors, it greatly enlarges areas closer to the North and South Poles while making regions around the Equator appear smaller.
One of the most striking examples is Greenland. On many Mercator maps, Greenland appears comparable in size to Africa, even though Africa is roughly 14 times larger in actual land area. The Equal Earth projection presents these differences much more realistically.
Supporters say the change is about more than cartography. They argue that maps influence how people understand the world and that portraying Africa at its proper scale can help challenge longstanding misconceptions about the continent’s geographic importance.
The campaign has been promoted under , with advocates calling for more accurate representations of Africa in classrooms, textbooks, media and digital mapping services.
Importantly, the UN decision does not mean the Mercator projection has disappeared. Its navigational advantages mean it will likely continue to be used for maritime and other specialized purposes. Instead, the resolution encourages the adoption of area-accurate projections for educational and general-purpose world maps.