The United Nations General Assembly made history on Friday by voting to adopt the Equal Earth projection, a cartographic design that more accurately reflects the true size of continents, particularly Africa. The resolution, backed by African nations and supported by France, aims to replace the long-standing Mercator projection, which distorts landmasses near the poles while shrinking those near the equator. The vote passed with 164 countries in favor, the United States opposed, and six nations abstaining.
A Global Shift in Cartographic Representation
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, a key advocate, argued that maps shape perceptions of the world and that the Mercator projection perpetuates a distorted image
of Africa. You could fit the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe into Africa and still have land to spare,
said the #CorrectTheMap campaign, which highlighted the absurdity of Greenland appearing nearly as large as Africa despite being 14 times smaller.
The U.S. Condemns the Move as an Ideological Distraction
The United States was the sole country to vote against the resolution, with representative Yaryna Ferencevych accusing the initiative of promoting an ideological agenda
that distracts attention from genuine problems of international peace, prosperity, or good relations.
She criticized the focus on map projects from the 16th Century
and their ties to reparations and 'cognitive justice.'
This stance echoes previous U.S. opposition to resolutions addressing historical injustices, including a March vote declaring the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity.
Why the Mercator Map Matters
The Mercator projection, created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, was designed to aid maritime navigation by preserving angles and shapes. However, its distortion of landmasses has made it a symbol of colonial-era biases. Greenland appears roughly the same size as Africa, despite being 14 times smaller, while Antarctica is stretched to an unrealistic scale. This misrepresentation, critics argue, reinforces outdated power dynamics and shapes public understanding of global geography.
The UN resolution is non-binding, meaning countries are not legally required to adopt the Equal Earth projection. However, the momentum behind the change is significant. France has already pledged to abandon the Mercator map, and African nations are pushing for its inclusion in school curricula. The U.S. stance, meanwhile, highlights the political tensions underlying the debate. As Dussey noted, A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.
For now, the Equal Earth projection remains a symbol of a broader movement to challenge historical biases in global representation. Whether it gains widespread adoption depends on political will and educational reforms. As the #CorrectTheMap campaign put it, A fair world begins with a fair map.
The next step will be watching how nations balance ideological commitments with practical considerations in the coming months.
