{
  "id": 5640256,
  "title": "UN adopts proposal for new world map showing Africa’s true size",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-adopts-proposal-for-new-world-map-showing-africas-true-size-5640256",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T20:56:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/un-adopts-proposal-for-new-world-map-showing-africas-true-size/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution to use a new world map, known as the Equal Earth projection. This map aims to accurately represent the size of continents, correcting distortions present in the widely used Mercator projection. According to ABC News AU, the Mercator projection makes North America, Europe, and Greenland appear larger than they are, while Africa, Latin America, and Oceania appear smaller.\n\nThe resolution, spearheaded by several African countries, was supported by 164 countries, with the US voting against it and six other states abstaining. The new map is intended to provide a more accurate representation of continental landmasses. As People Daily Kenya notes, the Mercator projection, developed in 1569, exaggerates the size of landmasses farther from the equator, with Africa appearing similar in size to Greenland, when in fact it has roughly 14 times Greenland's land area.\n\nThe resolution encourages governments, schools, international organisations, and technology companies to consider using projections like the Equal Earth projection, which preserves the relative area of continents. The adoption of this new map is not legally binding, and countries are not required to abandon the Mercator projection.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 10,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "RFI English",
        "title": "France drops Mercator maps as Africa pushes for truer world view",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/france-drops-mercator-maps-as-africa-pushes-for-truer-world-view",
        "published": "2026-09-04T15:46:17.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "BBC World",
        "title": "UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-votes-to-adopt-new-world-map-to-reflect-africas-true-size",
        "published": "2026-09-04T17:26:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
        "title": "UN approves resolution in support of map that shows Africa’s true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-approves-resolution-in-support-of-map-that-shows-africas-true-size",
        "published": "2026-09-04T17:54:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "US opposes UN adoption of map showing Africa’s true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/us-opposes-un-adoption-of-map-showing-africas-true-size",
        "published": "2026-09-04T17:55:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Premium Times",
        "title": "UN votes to adopt new world map that shows true size of Africa",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-votes-to-adopt-new-world-map-that-shows-true-size-of-africa",
        "published": "2026-09-04T18:11:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "France 24",
        "title": "UN ditches Mercator map to adopt more accurate one reflecting Africa's true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-ditches-mercator-map-to-adopt-more-accurate-one-reflecting-africas",
        "published": "2026-09-04T18:31:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "People Daily Kenya",
        "title": "UN backs African-led push for world maps that show Africa’s size more accurately",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-backs-african-led-push-for-world-maps-that-show-africas-size-more",
        "published": "2026-09-04T19:03:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "UN votes to adopt new world map that reflects Africa’s true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-votes-to-adopt-new-world-map-that-reflects-africas-true-size",
        "published": "2026-09-04T19:25:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "UN adopts proposal for new world map showing Africa’s true size",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/un-adopts-proposal-for-new-world-map-showing-africas-true-size",
        "published": "2026-09-04T20:42:33.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}