UN backs effort to depict Africa correctly on maps despite US opposition

The United Nations on Friday largely endorsed a resolution to promote maps that reflect the true scale of continents after an African-led campaign to move away from the ubiquitous 16th-century Mercator projection.

The United States was the only country to vote against the initiative, denouncing it as part of a “much larger and more radical ideological project” and urging “countries to instill common sense to this body.” Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine abstained.

Mercator, the world’s most commonly used map projection, was devised by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 to help sailors navigate using compass bearings.

But it distorts size, making landmasses appear larger the further they are from the Equator. As a result, Africa looks far smaller than it really is compared with countries in the Northern Hemisphere.

“A fair map does not change the geography of the world,” said Robert Dussey, Togo’s foreign minister and lead negotiator on behalf of the African group, ahead of the U.N. vote.

The non-binding resolution stated that “correcting cartographic distortions of continental sizes constitutes an act of cognitive justice and memorial reparation,” and calls on countries to promote the so-called Equal Earth projection, including at schools.

“This decision is about much more than cartography. It is about justice, dignity, equality and the way we represent our world,” Dussey rejoiced on X after its adoption.