Africa: UN Adopts 'Equal Earth' Map, Corrects Distortion of Africa's Size

What the report says

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a non-binding resolution encouraging wider use of equal-area world maps, including the Equal Earth projection, in what supporters say is an effort to reduce distortions that can make Africa and other equatorial regions appear smaller than they are. The vote was reported as 164 in favor, one against, and six abstentions. The measure was backed mainly by African Union member states and framed as a push for more accurate and equitable global cartographic representation.

According to the report from This Day, Togo’s foreign minister, Robert Dussey, introduced the resolution for the Group of African States. He argued that map projections influence how people understand geography, education, culture and even perceptions of Africa’s economic and strategic importance. Supporters of the initiative pointed to the long use of the Mercator projection, which is common in classrooms and digital tools but can visually enlarge areas farther from the equator.

The United States opposed the resolution, saying it reflected an ideological agenda and could distract from other international issues. Several countries abstained, including Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia and Ukraine. The report said the resolution does not ban the Mercator map, which remains useful for navigation, but aims to encourage alternatives where relative land size matters. Togo said it would begin by updating its own school materials and continue outreach to other African Union members over the next six months.