The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution endorsing a new world map that represents Africa and other continents in their true proportions, following a campaign led by African countries and advocacy groups, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Friday’s resolution passed with 164 member states voting in favor.
United Nations General Assembly Endorses Resolution for More Accurate World Map
The vote supports replacing the traditional Mercator projection with the Equal Earth projection. The Mercator map, designed in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator to help European explorers and navigators at sea, makes countries near the equator seem smaller while exaggerating regions near the poles. Consequently, traditional maps have portrayed Greenland and Canada as comparable in size to the entire African continent. In reality, Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland and three times bigger than Canada, according to The Globe and Mail.
To correct these distortions, a team of cartographers created the Equal Earth projection in 2018. In February, the African Union’s 54 member states adopted it, stating that it more accurately represents the sizes of all continents, particularly Africa. Mark Monmonier, a Syracuse University professor of geography, noted that outside of narrow navigation applications, there is no point in using the traditional map.
Diplomatic Reactions and Opposition at the UN
The resolution was sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members. Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, who introduced the resolution, told a UN briefing that maps are never neutral and shape perceptions of peoples and continents. Following the vote, Dussey called the decision a victory for everyone who believes in a fairer and more accurately represented world.
The United States was the sole opposing voice in Friday’s debate, voting against the measure. Yaryna Ferencevych, deputy U.S. representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, criticized the initiative in a speech to the General Assembly, denouncing the proposal as a radical ideological project and stating that the body was debating 16th-century map projects instead of genuine international problems. Six other countries abstained from the vote, including Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine. Ukraine stated that it does not oppose the core principles of the campaign and recognizes the importance of accurate maps.
Global Implementation and Campaign Goals
While the UN resolution does not impose a new map, ban the Mercator projection, or force governments to stop using older ones, it calls for education and awareness efforts to promote fairer maps. Activists and leaders hope the shift will alter global perceptions of Africa as a marginal continent with fewer resources.
France supported the initiative, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stating that his ministry would stop using the Mercator map and adopt projections more faithful to actual surface areas. Moky Makura, executive director of the lobby group Africa No Filter, which helped spearhead the campaign alongside the African Union-backed Correct the Map group, stated that the vote proves people no longer have to accept a map that makes Africa appear smaller than it is.
