UN Vote Backs Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa’s Size Distortion

For centuries, the Mercator projection has made Africa appear far smaller than it really is. Designed for navigation in the 1500s, the map exaggerates land areas near the poles, making Greenland look almost as large as Africa despite Africa being roughly 14 times bigger. This week, African Union member states and the Bahamas won overwhelming support for the “Correct the Map” resolution. The vote recorded 164 countries in favour, six abstentions and one vote against. Togo led the AU campaign, which promotes the Equal Earth projection as a more accurate way to show the continents’ true proportions. The resolution is not legally binding, so schools and publishers are not required to replace their maps immediately. However, supporters argue that maps shape education, public imagination and how Africa’s place in the world is understood. A more accurate map will not change borders, but it may help challenge the long-standing visual minimisation of Africa.

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