What's happened
The UN General Assembly has endorsed a non-binding move to shift from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth map to better reflect continental sizes. The vote saw 164 members in favour with the United States abstaining or opposing; several countries express concerns about disputed territories and implications for regional shading.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The Equal Earth proposal aligns geographic visuals with a more accurate sense of scale, potentially reshaping perceptions of Africa and the global south.
- The vote reflects geopolitical sensitivities: while most nations back the move, the US has framed it as a distraction from pressing matters, highlighting divergent views on map representation as a political tool.
- This is a non-binding resolution; practical changes depend on how institutions implement the projection in education, media, and digital platforms.
- Readers should watch for how schools, publishers, and tech companies respond in the coming months, especially in regions currently underrepresented on standard maps.
Brief:
- The map debate is about representation, not navigation. Equal Earth will not replace Mercator for nautical uses but aims to shift educational and media depictions toward more proportional sizes.
How we got here
The push for a new world map stems from long-standing concerns that Mercator distortions exaggerate the size of northern regions and diminish Africa’s scale. The Equal Earth projection, introduced in 2018 by a team of cartographers, preserves relative areas more accurately. The AU led the campaign, with Togo steering the resolution.
Our analysis
- Al Jazeera: UN endorses Equal Earth with 164 votes as US abstains; France co-sponsors and plans to shift usage. - BBC Business: AU-backed resolution passes; Mercator distortion criticized for Africa’s size. - Independent: AU promotes Equal Earth as a corrective to the Mercator bias; advocates stress political and educational implications.
Go deeper
- Will schools and tech platforms start adopting Equal Earth in curricula and maps within months?
- How will countries with disputed territories handle shading differences in the new projection?
- What are the practical non-navigational uses that could shift public perception of Africa?
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