UN adopts proposal for new world map showing Africa’s true size

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution promoting the use of a new world map, known as the Equal Earth projection, which more accurately represents the size of continents, particularly Africa. According to People Daily Kenya, the resolution was backed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The US was the only country to vote against the measure.

The new map aims to correct the distortions of the widely used Mercator projection, which exaggerates the size of landmasses farther from the equator. For example, Africa has roughly 14 times the land area of Greenland, although they can appear similar in size on a Mercator map, as reported by People Daily Kenya. The resolution, led by Togo and backed by African states, encourages governments, schools, and technology companies to consider using projections that better represent the relative size of the world’s regions.

The resolution is not legally binding and does not require countries or mapmakers to abandon the Mercator projection. It is part of the #CorrectTheMap campaign, led by Togo and backed by all 55 African Union member states, as reported by Premium Times. The Equal Earth projection was developed in 2018 and represents the relative area of continents more accurately than the Mercator projection.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, People Daily Kenya, South China Morning Post, France 24, Premium Times — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.