Why the Mercator Map Makes Africa Look Smaller Than It Really Is
The Mercator projection has long been criticised for distorting the apparent size of landmasses. Areas closer to the poles, such as Europe and Greenland, appear much larger than they are, while regions near the equator, including Africa, appear relatively smaller. Map projections are designed for different purposes. Mercator maps are useful for navigation because they preserve direction, but they do not accurately show the true relative sizes of continents and countries. Claims that the United Nations General Assembly has formally adopted a new world map should be independently verified. Regardless, the debate over how maps shape perceptions of Africa’s size, importance and potential remains worth discussing.
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