UN General Assembly Pushes for Map Change, Undermining Tradition with Equal Earth Projection
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The UN General Assembly has voted to endorse the Equal Earth projection, encouraging a move away from the time-tested Mercator map, despite opposition from the United States and concerns about rewriting established standards.
On Friday, the United Nations General Assembly voted to endorse a new world map projection, the Equal Earth projection, which its supporters claim more accurately reflects Africa’s size. The resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by the African Union, was approved by 164 of 193 member states, with the United States standing firm in opposition and six countries abstaining, signaling skepticism about the need to discard longstanding mapping traditions.
The measure calls on governments, educational institutions, and organizations to replace the widely recognized Mercator projection with the Equal Earth projection, which alters the familiar proportions of the continents. Under the Mercator map, Greenland appears similar in size to Africa, while the Equal Earth projection dramatically increases Africa’s visual dominance, making it appear about 14 times larger than Greenland.
Importantly, the resolution does not ban the Mercator map but encourages a shift to the Equal Earth format, reflecting a growing trend of political correctness influencing even technical fields. Togo’s foreign minister Robert Dussey argued before the vote that maps shape our understanding of the world, suggesting that educational and social perceptions must be realigned.
Advocacy group Africa No Filter, a vocal supporter of the change, has pushed for the widespread adoption of the new map in schools, textbooks, newsrooms, and digital platforms. French foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the move an act of truth, though critics argue it is more about virtue signaling than practical improvement.
The Mercator projection, created in the 16th century for navigation, has been a reliable standard for centuries, even if it enlarges regions near the poles and reduces the size of areas such as Africa and South America. Geographers note that, aside from navigation, the Mercator map has limited practical value, but many question the need to overhaul established conventions. As Syracuse University geography professor Mark Monmonier acknowledged, 'Outside of that very narrow navigation application, there is no point in using it,' yet the push to abandon tradition continues.