UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size
BBC • • nation
Key Points:
- The UN General Assembly passed the "Correct the Map" resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by 164 nations, to replace the traditional Mercator map with one that more accurately reflects Africa's size; the US was the only country to vote against it.
- The Mercator map, created in 1569, distorts the size of countries by making equatorial regions like Africa appear smaller and polar regions larger, misrepresenting Africa as similar in size to Greenland despite being 14 times larger.
- The African Union adopted the Equal Earth projection in February 2023, a map designed to more accurately represent the size of continents, especially Africa, aiming to correct historical distortions that affect perceptions and development priorities.
- Although the UN vote is non-binding, it is expected to influence changes in the maps used by global institutions, reflecting a broader push for fairness in how continents and countries are visually represented.
