The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution promoting the use of world maps that more accurately represent the relative size of continents, following an initiative led by African member states to address centuries of cartographic distortion, according to reports from the United Nations and the African Group.
The General Assembly Vote and Diplomatic Divisions
The resolution, titled “Correct the Map,” passed on a Friday vote of 164 in favor to one against, with six countries abstaining, according to United Nations documentation. Togo introduced the measure on behalf of the 54 member states of the African Group, alongside backing from the African Union.
The United States cast the sole opposing vote against the resolution. Explaining the U.S. position before the vote, Yaryna Ferencevych, deputy U.S. representative to the UN Economic and Social Council, criticized the measure in a statement. Ferencevych argued that such resolutions promote an ideological agenda and distract from pressing international matters, stating that they act as “barnacles on our work here.”
By contrast, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey defended the initiative prior to the vote, emphasizing the psychological and educational impact of cartography. “Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions,” Dussey said. The African Union also welcomed the outcome, posting on social media that the resolution ensures maps finally reflect Africa’s true scale and weight.
Cartographic Science: Mercator Versus Equal Earth
The UN resolution encourages governments, international organizations, and educational institutions to adopt equal-area map projections, specifically highlighting the Equal Earth projection. Developed in 2018 by cartographers Tom Patterson, Bernhard Jenny, and Bojan Šavrič, the Equal Earth map provides a proportionally accurate picture of global land masses.
This projection contrasts sharply with the traditional Mercator map, which was created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator. While the Mercator projection preserves the shape of land masses and remains useful for maritime and aerial navigation, it distorts their relative sizes. Regions farther from the Equator appear significantly larger than they actually are, making Africa appear much smaller relative to North America and Europe than its true geographic scale.
“If you’re using the Mercator map as a world map, say, in the classroom, students would just have a completely warped view of the size of countries in the world,” Tom Patterson noted in previous interviews regarding the distortion of landmasses near the poles.
Implementation and Institutional Impact
The UN resolution is non-binding, meaning national governments and international bodies are not legally required to abandon the Mercator projection, which will continue to be used for navigation and specialized technical applications.
Advocates of the “Correct the Map” campaign argue that shifting educational materials toward equal-area projections will challenge long-standing misperceptions regarding Africa’s geographic scale, infrastructure needs, and economic potential. Togo announced plans to update its own school geography materials by the end of the year, while France separately indicated it would move away from the Mercator projection, adding diplomatic momentum to the alternative mapping movement.
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