UN General Assembly adopts resolution urging use of equal-area world maps

The United Nations General Assembly voted on Friday to adopt the "Correct the Map" resolution, introduced by Togo on behalf of the African Group and backed by the African Union. The measure passed with 164 votes in favor, one against and six abstentions, making the United States the only country to oppose it.

Togo’s foreign minister Robert Dussey said maps influence education and collective perception, arguing that more accurate projections are needed. The non-binding resolution does not require abandoning the centuries-old Mercator projection but encourages wider use of equal-area projections such as the Equal Earth map, which was created in 2018 by former U.S. National Park Service cartographer Tom Patterson and colleagues.

Supporters contend that the Mercator projection exaggerates the size of regions near the poles while shrinking continents near the equator, notably Africa. They argue that adopting equal-area maps in classrooms, media and international bodies would provide a fairer visual representation of global geography.

The United States issued a statement through deputy representative Yaryna Ferencevych, claiming the resolution promotes an ideological agenda and distracts from other issues.

The African Union welcomed the vote, stating that the resolution will help ensure world maps reflect Africa’s true scale and place. Patterson, one of the creators of the Equal Earth projection, expressed surprise at the development, noting that the designers had not anticipated such a political response.