UN Backs New World Map That Shows Africa’s True Size

By Victor Idajili

The UN General Assembly has voted to adopt a new world map projection that more accurately reflects the size of Africa.

The "Correct the Map" resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by the 54 African Union member states, was passed with 164 votes in favor, including France and the UK. The US voted against it, and six countries abstained.

While the UN vote is not legally binding, it is expected to influence the maps used by international institutions, schools, and organizations worldwide.

For more than 400 years, the Mercator map has been the most widely used projection. Created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator to help sailors navigate, it distorts land areas to account for the curvature of the Earth. 

As a result, countries near the equator appear much smaller than they are, while countries near the poles appear larger. Critics point out that on Mercator maps, Africa looks roughly the same size as Greenland, even though Africa is about 14 times bigger. Africa covers about 30.4 million square kilometers compared to Greenland’s 2.2 million.

Campaigners argue the distortion has consequences beyond geography. They say it minimizes the scale, population, resources and investment potential of countries near the equator, particularly in Africa.

"You could fit the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe into Africa and still have land to spare," said the online campaign group #CorrectTheMap.

In 2018, cartographers developed the Equal Earth projection as an alternative. It is an “equal area” map designed to show countries at their true relative sizes. In February, all 54 AU member states adopted Equal Earth, saying it "more accurately represents the sizes of all continents, particularly Africa."

Speaking before Friday’s vote, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said: “A fair world begins with a fair map.” At a UN briefing he added, “A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.”

France also backed the change. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said his ministry would stop using the Mercator map.  
“Changing the map obviously doesn't change the world. But correcting a representation that distorts it is already an act of truth,” he said.

The US opposed the resolution. US representative Yaryna Ferencevych told the Assembly the debate distracted from more pressing issues.  
"Instead of focusing on genuine problems of international peace, prosperity, or good relations, this body is debating map projects from the 16th Century, and their role in promoting reparations and 'cognitive justice'," she said.

African advocates welcomed the vote. Lerato Mogoatlhe of Africa No Filter, one of the groups behind the campaign, told the BBC: “Africa's misrepresentation on world maps is not just a cartographic error - it's a narrative issue.” She described it as part of efforts to end what she called “the world's longest misinformation and disinformation” about Africa.

Kenyan geographer Kioko Muendo said maps influence more than navigation.  
"Maps are more than just guides for travellers - they shape how regions are perceived politically and economically," he told the BBC. He noted that Mercator had implicitly downplayed Africa’s vast landmass, population and opportunities.