World map is misleading about Africa.The UN wants to fix it

The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favor of a resolution to correct world maps that inaccurately represent the size of Africa. The resolution, titled "Correct the Map," was sponsored by Togo and supported by 164 countries, including France and the United Kingdom. The United States was the lone country to vote against the resolution, while six countries abstained.

Critics argue that the Mercator projection, which has long dominated maps, distorts the relative size of landmasses, making Africa appear comparable in size to Greenland, when in reality, Africa is about 14 times larger. This distortion, especially of equatorial regions, is said to influence perceptions of Africa's geographical, economic, and political importance.

In 2018, the African Union adopted the Equal Earth projection, which preserves the relative size of continents more accurately. The Equal Earth projection has now gained support from the UN, with Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stating, "A fair world begins with a fair map." Supporters of the campaign argue that the issue extends beyond geography, as the Mercator projection's distortion of Africa's size has likely shaped perceptions of its resources, population, and investment potential.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has also backed the campaign, stating that his ministry would stop using the Mercator projection as a "truthful act."