UN General Assembly Strikes Blow Against Colonial Cartography, Adopts Equal-Area Map
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In a resounding move for global justice, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to replace the Eurocentric Mercator map with an equal-area projection that finally does justice to Africa’s true size. The United States stood isolated, voting against a resolution supported by 164 countries.
The United Nations General Assembly has taken a historic step toward dismantling colonial legacies in global representation by approving a resolution to replace the outdated and Eurocentric Mercator projection with an equal-area map that accurately reflects the vastness of Africa. This proposal, championed by Togo and strongly supported by African Union members, received backing from 164 nations. The United States, clinging to old power structures, was the only country to vote against the resolution, while six others abstained.
The Mercator map, a relic of 16th-century European imperialism, grossly distorts the size of continents, shrinking Africa and inflating Europe and North America. This distortion has long served to minimize the development needs and potential of equatorial regions, reinforcing global inequalities and racist perceptions.
In 2018, progressive cartographers introduced the 'Equal Earth' projection, an equal-area representation that the African Union’s 54 member states swiftly adopted, recognizing its role in restoring dignity and accuracy to the depiction of the Global South, especially Africa.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, speaking to Reuters before the vote, declared, 'A fair world begins with a fair map,' and emphasized that 'a map is never neutral; it shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.'
Though the resolution is non-binding, it sends a powerful message and is expected to inspire institutions worldwide to abandon colonial cartography and embrace a more just and accurate map.