Africa: New World Map Makes Africa Look Bigger - What's the Fuss About? Cartographers Explain

The United Nations has passed a resolution endorsing the Equal Earth Projection map, which aims to more accurately represent the true size of landmasses on Earth. The current Mercator Projection map greatly exaggerates the size of countries near the poles, making Africa appear much smaller than it actually is. In the Equal Earth projection, Africa and other regions appear more proportionate to their actual size.

The map projection process transforms the spherical Earth into a flat two-dimensional map, inevitably altering shapes and areas. No projection is perfect, but some are better suited for specific purposes. The Equal Earth projection, developed by cartographers, is more appropriate for global scale world maps used in education, public communication, and policy purposes.

While the Mercator projection is still useful for navigation, it is not optimal for displaying the accurate size of landmasses. The UN resolution does not mandate the adoption of the Equal Earth projection, but it encourages a shift towards more equitable map representations. Resistance to the Equal Earth projection has been limited, with only one country, the United States, voting against it.

Critics argue that the resolution is an ideological move rather than a legitimate cartographic concern, pointing to the United States' own nationalist renaming of geographic features. The Equal Earth projection is seen as a step towards cognitive justice, helping to correct perceptions of power and value in global affairs, particularly for African nations seeking greater influence on the world stage.