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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

UN Backs World Map That Shows Africa’s True Size

From Tempo · () Indonesian

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

At a glance

News Named sources Approved/passed
  • The UN General Assembly voted 164-1, with six abstentions, to support the Equal Earth projection as a more accurate depiction of continental size.
  • The resolution targets distortions in the Mercator projection, including its portrayal of Greenland as nearly as large as Africa even though Africa is about 14 times larger.
  • The measure is nonbinding and does not challenge Mercator’s continued use for maritime and aerial navigation; the United States called Equal Earth an ideological distraction.

The world map used in classrooms and public life is facing a formal challenge at the United Nations. The General Assembly voted 164-1, with six abstentions, to support the Equal Earth projection, which shows the relative size of continents more accurately. The United States was the only country to oppose the resolution.

The initiative was spearheaded by several African countries. Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps shape how people understand the world, influence education and feed collective perceptions. When maps distort the planet, he argued, they can pass inaccurate representations from one generation to the next.

Maps shape our understanding of the world.

· Robert DusseyTogo’s foreign minister argued that maps influence education and collective perceptions.

The target is the Mercator projection, created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It preserves the shapes and angles needed for navigation, but enlarges landmasses near the poles and reduces the apparent size of those near the equator. Greenland can therefore appear close in size to Africa, even though Africa is about 14 times larger.

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

· Robert DusseyDussey described the broader cultural influence of maps.

Togo plans to replace the maps used in its schools by the end of the year. France, which co-sponsored the resolution, also said it would abandon the Mercator projection. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the map gives the United States, Russia and China disproportionate visual prominence compared with Africa, Latin America and southeast Asia. He added, “Changing maps obviously doesn't change the world. But correcting a distorted representation is already an act of truth.”

The resolution is not legally binding and leaves Mercator available for maritime and aerial navigation. The United States said Equal Earth advanced an ideological agenda and diverted attention from genuine international problems. Supporters of the change countered that the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico and much of Europe could fit inside Africa with land to spare.

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 replacing the Mercator projection.
About this summary

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. 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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