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Africa gets bigger, US smaller as UN backs new world map

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency Approved/passed
  • The UN General Assembly voted to support the Equal Earth projection, which shows Africa and other equatorial regions closer to their relative land areas.
  • The resolution received support from 164 countries, while the United States voted against it and six countries abstained.
  • Supporters criticized the Mercator projection for enlarging northern regions, while the United States accused the assembly of focusing on a map debate instead of pressing problems.

Africa will appear larger and North America and Europe smaller on the map endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly, a decision that drew opposition from Washington.

The resolution, backed by 164 countries, supports the Equal Earth cartographic projection as a more accurate representation of the world’s continental landmasses. The United States voted against it, while six countries abstained.

They are therefore never neutral; when they present a distorted image of our planet, they risk perpetuating inaccurate representation that is passed down through generations.

· Robert DusseyTogo’s foreign minister argued that maps influence how societies understand the world.

The resolution urges member states to replace the traditional Mercator projection with Equal Earth. Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator designed the Mercator map in 1569 for maritime navigation, but its rendering of a three-dimensional globe makes northern regions appear larger and compresses areas near the equator.

Foreign Minister Robert Dussey of Togo, which sponsored the resolution, said maps shape education and collective perceptions. “They are therefore never neutral; when they present a distorted image of our planet, they risk perpetuating inaccurate representation that is passed down through generations,” he said.

the reason this institution is losing its credibility

· Yaryna FerencevychThe US representative criticized the General Assembly’s decision to endorse the new map.

Washington criticized the vote. US representative Yaryna Ferencevych said the debate was “the reason this institution is losing its credibility,” arguing that the assembly should focus on genuine problems rather than map projects and their role in promoting reparations and cognitive justice.

The Equal Earth projection was launched by a group of cartographers in 2018. It makes Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania appear larger while preserving the relative surface areas of continents. France, which co-sponsored the resolution, said it would abandon the Mercator projection. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot noted that the older map gives disproportionate visual prominence to the United States, Russia and China, and makes Greenland appear almost as large as Africa. He added that changing maps does not change the world, but can correct a distorted representation.

Changing maps obviously doesn't change the world. But correcting a distorted representation

· Jean-Noel BarrotFrance’s foreign minister defended replacing the Mercator projection.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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