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UN backs Equal Earth
The United Nations General Assembly voted on Friday to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa, endorsing the “Correct the Map” resolution sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members.
“The resolution passed in the U.N. General Assembly by a vote of 164 to 1 with 6 abstentions.”
The resolution passed with the support of 164 nations, with the United States the only country to vote against and six countries abstaining, and it promotes the 2018 Equal Earth cartographic projection over the 16th-century Mercator projection.
Reuters reported that the Mercator map “makes Greenland appear roughly the same size as Africa, though Africa is about 14 times larger,” while the Equal Earth projection is described as more accurately portraying the size of the continents.
Ahead of the vote, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told Reuters, “A fair world begins with a fair map,” and the UN resolution urged member states to adopt the Equal Earth projection in place of the traditional Mercator map.
US calls it ideological
The United States opposed the resolution, saying it promoted an “ideological agenda” and was a distraction from “the genuine problems of international peace, prosperity or good relations,” according to Reuters’ account of the vote.
In the BBC’s framing, the Mercator map’s critics argue it leads to development needs and potential for countries near the equator to be minimised, while the resolution is described as non-binding and aimed at changing maps used by institutions around the world.
Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey argued the issue is about perception, telling Reuters, “Togo will be the first country to change our own geography books,” and saying “In the classroom, we need to change it to give an example to all the countries in the world.”
The BBC also quoted Lerato Mogoatlhe from Africa No Filter saying, “Africa's misrepresentation on world maps is not just a cartographic error - it's a narrative issue,” as part of efforts to stop the “world's longest misinformation and disinformation” about Africa.
Next steps and impact
The resolution does not ban the Mercator projection or impose a replacement, but it encourages governments, schools, international organizations and technology companies to use Equal Earth when relative size matters, with the UN describing the change as non-binding.
“Friday’s resolution, which was sponsored by Togo and backed by members of the African Union, was passed with 164 member states voting in favor.”
Reuters reported that Togo hopes to change its school geography materials by the end of the year and plans to press other governments, schools, international organisations and technology companies to move away from the centuries-old Mercator projection.
Reuters also said Dussey linked the campaign to wider African efforts to confront colonial-era legacies while stating it was not an attack on Europe or any other civilisation, and he said, “The world is changing. Africa also is changing.”
The AP described the vote as a culmination of a campaign led by African countries and advocacy groups, noting that the Equal Earth projection shows Africa as 14 times larger than Greenland in contrast to the Mercator map’s similar sizing.