The United Nations General Assembly has voted to phase out the Mercator world map in favor of a more accurate alternative that more fairly represents the true size of Africa and other landmasses near the equator. The resolution, titled "Correct the Map," was sponsored by Togo and backed by all 54 African Union member states. It passed with support from 164 nations, including France and the United Kingdom. The United States was the only country to vote against it, while six countries were absent from the session.
Why the Mercator Map Has Faced Criticism
The Mercator map has been in widespread use since the 16th century, when Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator designed it in 1569 to help European explorers navigate the globe. Its fundamental flaw, however, lies in the nature of two-dimensional mapping: it is impossible to faithfully reproduce the curved surface of a sphere on a flat chart without introducing distortions.
The Mercator projection inflates the size of landmasses closer to the poles while shrinking those closer to the equator. As a result, Africa, which is 14 times larger than Greenland, appears roughly the same size as the Arctic island on the familiar map. Critics have long argued that this misrepresentation reduces how seriously the development needs and economic potential of equatorial nations are taken on the world stage.
The Equal Earth Map as Replacement
The proposed replacement is the Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018 by a team of cartographers. It uses an equal-area approach, meaning every continent and country appears at its correct size relative to the others.
The African Union formally adopted the Equal Earth projection in February, describing it as a map that "represents the sizes of all continents more accurately, particularly Africa."
Reactions and Expected Impact
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey told Reuters ahead of Friday's vote: "A fair world begins with a fair map." He had earlier told a UN briefing that maps are never neutral, adding: "A map shapes perceptions, influences how people understand the place of peoples and continents in the world."
Although the UN resolution is non-binding, it is expected to prompt governments, schools, international institutions, and organisations worldwide to update the maps they display and use in official materials. The vote marks a significant step in correcting long-standing geographical misrepresentations, with the new map set to become the standard in educational and official contexts globally.
