{
  "id": 6428086,
  "title": "Correcting the world map is a good idea – but this UN resolution doesn’t make the case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/correcting-the-world-map-is-a-good-idea-but-this-un-resolution-doesnt-6428086",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-09T14:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/opinion/comment/2026/09/09/un-general-assembly-world-map-togo-resolution-african-union-mercator/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The United Nations General Assembly has approved a resolution, known as \"Correct the Map,\" to promote the use of world maps that more accurately represent the sizes of continents. The resolution garnered 164 votes in favor of it, with six abstentions and one vote against. The primary objective of this resolution is to encourage people to understand that no map can perfectly depict the curved Earth on a flat surface. Different maps serve various purposes, such as showing the relative sizes of countries and continents, with equal-area maps providing a more accurate representation. An example cited in the resolution is the traditional Mercator map, which distorts the sizes of continents, making Africa appear roughly the same size as Greenland when they are actually 14 times larger. The resolution acknowledges that the Mercator map, created in the 16th century, was designed for navigation purposes rather than to favor any particular region. However, objections from six abstaining countries and the country that voted against the resolution highlight weaknesses in the resolution's draft. These concerns primarily revolve around the potential political motivations behind the resolution and its reliance on the \"Equal Earth\" maps, which may inaccurately portray distances between landmasses while preserving their relative sizes. The resolution fails to address political boundaries and distinguishes itself from maps that do so. While some countries criticized the resolution as frivolous and a waste of time, the sponsors should have provided evidence to support claims about the cognitive, socioeconomic, and geopolitical consequences of cartographic distortions. A more robust resolution would clearly differentiate map projections from political boundaries, separate established facts from speculation, and advocate for further research into the potential harms caused by map distortions before drawing conclusions.",
  "summary": "The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly voted to encourage wider use of world maps that represent the relative sizes of continents more accurately. The “Correct the Map” resolution secured 164 votes in favour, with six abstentions and one vote against. Although its goal is worthwhile, the objections raised by the six abstaining countries and the country that voted against it point to important…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Correcting the world map is a good idea – but this UN resolution doesn’t make the case",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/correcting-the-world-map-is-a-good-idea-but-this-un-resolution-doesnt",
        "published": "2026-09-09T14:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}