UN backs new world map, US objects to Africa’s bigger representation
THE United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to endorse a new world map that gives Africa a more proportionate representation while reducing the apparent size of Europe and North America, drawing sharp criticism from the United States...
On September 5, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution led by Togo, aimed at correcting global cartographic representation and promoting equitable depiction of regions, particularly Africa. The resolution received 164 votes in favor, one against from the United States, and six abstentions. African countries unanimously backed the resolution.
The resolution calls for the increased use of equal-area map projections, such as the Equal Earth projection, in contexts where the comparative size of continents is significant. This move comes in response to distortions caused by commonly used map projections, like the Mercator projection, which can make certain land masses appear disproportionately large. Togo argued that such distortions have contributed to a diminished perception of Africa and other equatorial regions.
The debate during the vote centered on the impact of map distortions on education, public understanding, culture, geopolitics, development narratives, and perceptions of Africa's size and potential. The Equal Earth projection preserves the relative surface areas of continents, providing a more accurate representation of Africa's true size.
France, led by Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, expressed support for the initiative, committing to abandon the Mercator projection in favor of more accurate map representations. However, the United States voted against the resolution, arguing that it was part of a broader ideological project and distracts from the UN's core work.
Ukraine also objected to the Equal Earth projection, claiming it depicted parts of its territory temporarily occupied by Russia in an unacceptable manner, while also raising concerns about the resolution's inconsistency with relevant General Assembly resolutions regarding the non-recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea.
In conclusion, the UN resolution aims to change the narrative surrounding Africa's representation in global cartography by promoting a more accurate depiction. While the United States did not support the resolution, other countries, including France and the EU, expressed their commitment to improving cartographic accuracy and equitable representation.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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