UN General Assembly adopts new world map showing Africa's true size

Sep 4, 2026

The United Nations General Assembly voted 164 to 1 on September 4, 2026 to adopt the Equal Earth map projection, replacing the 16th-century Mercator projection to show countries' true relative sizes. Spearheaded by Togo and the African Union, the non-binding resolution aims to correct cartographic distortions that shrink Africa and inflate northern landmasses. The United States cast the sole dissenting vote, calling the initiative an ideological distraction, while France co-sponsored the resolution and pledged to abandon the Mercator map.

UN Equal Earth adoption vote

▪The United Nations General Assembly resolution passed with 164 member states voting in favor, six abstaining, and the United States voting against it
▪France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced on September 4, 2026 that France will abandon the Mercator projection in favor of representations that more accurately depict surface areas
▪The United Nations General Assembly resolution is non-binding and explicitly states it does not challenge the use of the Mercator projection for maritime and aerial navigation
▪The United Nations General Assembly voted on September 4, 2026 to adopt a resolution promoting the Equal Earth map projection to reflect countries' true relative sizes
▪Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated that Togo plans to change its school geography materials to use the Equal Earth projection by the end of 2026

Mercator projection distortions

▪The Equal Earth map projection, developed in 2018 by an international team of cartographers, preserves the relative surface areas of continents as they appear on a globe
▪Critics argue that Mercator projection distortions minimize the perceived socioeconomic realities, infrastructure needs, and development potential of southern regions like Africa, Latin America, and South Asia
▪The traditional Mercator projection, designed in 1569, distorts the relative size of landmasses by inflating areas closer to the poles and compressing those near the equator
▪On the Mercator projection, Greenland appears roughly the same size as Africa, whereas Africa is actually about 14 times larger than Greenland

African Union CorrectTheMap campaign

▪The African Union endorsed the #CorrectTheMap campaign in August 2025 and subsequently adopted the Equal Earth map projection in March 2026
▪Togo spearheaded the United Nations initiative on behalf of the African Union, following a formal request submitted to United Nations member states in April 2026
▪If the resolution implementation proceeds, Togo's government plans to host an event in Lomé with UNESCO, the African Union, and technology companies in the first quarter of 2027

US opposition to resolution

▪The United States voted against the United Nations resolution, with representative Yaryna Ferencevych stating that the body was debating 16th-century map projects instead of focusing on genuine international problems
▪The United States delegation argued that the map resolution promoted an "ideological agenda" and served as a distraction from international peace, prosperity, and good relations

Cartographic projection history

▪Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator created the Mercator projection in 1569 primarily as a tool to aid European colonial exploration and maritime navigation
▪German historian Arno Peters challenged the Mercator projection in 1973 by introducing an alternative map based on the Gall-Peters projection

Debatable claims

▪The Mercator projection's distortions harm the geopolitical standing of the Global South
▪Schools should replace the Mercator projection with equal-area maps
▪The UN General Assembly should debate cartographic representation