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🇮🇱 Israel /Culture & Society

UN backs map designed to show Africa’s true size

From Jerusalem Post · () English

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

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Approved/passed
  • The UN General Assembly approved a resolution supporting the Equal Earth map projection by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions.
  • Togo promoted the resolution as part of an African Union campaign against the Mercator projection’s distortion of land masses near the poles.
  • The resolution is not legally binding, and the United States opposed it, calling the initiative ideological and a distraction from global problems.

“A fair world begins with a fair map,” Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said before the United Nations vote. On Friday, the General Assembly backed a resolution promoting the Equal Earth projection, which presents the relative size of continents more accurately than the centuries-old Mercator map.

A fair world begins with a fair map.

· Robert DusseyTogo’s foreign minister made the case for the resolution before the UN vote.

The vote was 164 to one, with six abstentions. Togo led the initiative as part of an African Union campaign to reduce the Mercator projection’s use. The map stretches land masses near the poles, making Greenland appear roughly as large as Africa even though Africa is about 14 times bigger.

The resolution does not ban the Mercator projection. Togo’s foreign ministry said it “in no way challenges the use of the Mercator projection for maritime and aerial navigation, for which it remains fully suited.” The United States, the only country to vote against the measure, said it promoted an “ideological agenda” and distracted from genuine problems involving peace, prosperity and international relations.

In no way challenges the use of the Mercator projection for maritime and aerial navigation, for which it remains fully suited.

· Togolese Ministry of Foreign AffairsThe ministry clarified that the resolution does not challenge the map’s use for navigation.

Togo plans to change its own school geography materials by the end of the year. “Togo will be the first country to change our own geography books,” Dussey said. “In the classroom, we need to change it to give an example to all the countries in the world.”

Togo will be the first country to change our own geography books.

· Robert DusseyDussey described Togo’s plan to replace the Mercator projection in school materials.

Dussey said Togo would press governments, schools, international organizations and technology companies to move away from the Mercator projection. The country plans to meet African Union members and supporters from other regions within six months to discuss wider adoption, including by mapping, GPS and other location-based technology companies. He connected the campaign to broader African efforts to confront colonial-era legacies, while saying it was not directed against Europe or another civilization.

In the classroom, we need to change it to give an example to all the countries in the world.

· Robert DusseyHe explained why Togo plans to make the change in its own schools.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post 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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