UN Backs New World Map to Show Africa’s True Size

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday endorsed a new world map that represents the size of Africa more accurately, following a recent campaign led by African countries and advocacy groups.

The resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by members of the African Union, was approved with 164 countries voting in favor. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution, while Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine abstained.

The resolution encourages governments and institutions around the world to consider replacing the traditional Mercator projection, which has been widely used since the 16th century, with the Equal Earth projection.

The Mercator map significantly distorts the size of regions near the poles. As a result, Greenland can appear almost as large as Africa, even though Africa is far larger. On the Equal Earth projection, which represents continents in proportions closer to their actual areas, Africa is about 14 times larger than Greenland.

The U.N. decision does not ban the Mercator projection or require countries to replace it. Instead, it encourages greater use of the Equal Earth projection.

Before the vote, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said that maps influence how people understand the world, adding that they shape education, imagination and collective perceptions.

Africa No Filter, one of the leading groups behind the campaign, welcomed the resolution and called for accurate maps to be used in schools, textbooks, newsrooms, businesses and digital platforms.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also welcomed the decision, saying that changing a map does not change the world, but correcting a distorted representation is an act of truth.