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🇦🇺 Australia /Culture & Society

Africa grows, the US shrinks as UN backs a new world map

From ABC Australia · () English

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

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • The U.N. General Assembly voted 164-1 to support the Equal Earth projection, with six countries abstaining and the United States voting against it.
  • The projection reduces the visual distortion of the Mercator map, which makes northern regions appear larger and equatorial regions smaller.
  • Togo led the initiative, while France said it would stop using the Mercator projection.

Africa will look larger and North America and Europe smaller on the world map endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution, led by several African countries, calls for member states to adopt the Equal Earth projection instead of the traditional Mercator map.

Maps guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions.

· Robert DusseyTogo's foreign minister argued that maps shape how people understand the world.

The vote passed with support from 164 countries. The United States opposed it, while six countries abstained. The resolution describes Equal Earth as “a relevant option for improving the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world.”

The Mercator projection, created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569, was designed for maritime navigation. Although it accurately shows shapes and angles, it distorts the relative size of landmasses when a globe is transferred onto a flat surface. Europe and North America appear larger, while Africa and South America appear smaller.

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

· Robert DusseyDussey explained why Togo supported replacing the Mercator projection.

Togo, which drove the resolution, said maps shape education and public perceptions. Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said they “are therefore never neutral” when they present a distorted image of the planet. The Equal Earth projection, launched by a group of cartographers in 2018, gives more visual space to Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania while preserving relative continental areas.

Changing maps obviously doesn't change the world. But correcting a distorted representation is already an act of truth.

· Jean-Noel BarrotFrance's foreign minister defended the decision to abandon the Mercator projection.

France co-sponsored the resolution and said it would abandon the Mercator projection. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the map gives disproportionate prominence to the United States, Russia and China, while making Greenland appear almost as large as Africa. “Changing maps obviously doesn't change the world,” he said, but correcting a distorted representation is “already an act of truth.” The initiative comes as France seeks to improve relations with African countries, including former colonies.

Instead of focusing on genuine problems … this body is debating map projects from the 16th century and their role in promoting reparations and cognitive justice.

· Yaryna FerencevychThe U.S. representative criticized the resolution before the vote.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Australia 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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