UN Votes To Encourage Map Projections More Accurately Reflecting the True Size of Continents

The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to encourage worldwide usage of map projections that more accurately reflect the true size of continents, particularly Africa. By a vote of 164 in favor to one against, Member States endorsed a resolution aimed at promoting equal-area maps over the widely-used Mercator projection, which often distorts the relative size of landmasses towards the poles.

The United States was the sole country to vote against the resolution, describing it as part of a radical ideological agenda. Six countries abstained from voting in the resolution - Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. The resolution does not outright ban the Mercator projection nor does it dictate a specific alternative.

Instead, it encourages government entities, educational institutions, international organizations and technology companies to utilize equal-area maps when size accuracy is important and to educate on the limitations of traditional flat maps when depicting a spherical Earth. The debate underlying this technical recommendation is one of history and power - questioning whether a map originally designed for European sailors in the 16th century has, over time, distorted perceptions not just of geography, but of Africa itself.

The Mercator map exaggerates the size of landmasses further from the Equator, making Africa appear roughly the same size as Greenland when, in reality, Africa is about 14 times larger. Despite its original navigational purpose, the Mercator map remains prevalent in educational, media, digital and official materials. The resolution states that such distortions have contributed to the symbolic minimization of Africa, perpetuating an unbalanced view of the world.

Just hours before the vote, France's foreign minister announced plans to replace Mercator maps with equal-area maps.