The U.N. backs a new world map showing Africa in its true relative size

What the report says

The United Nations has endorsed a new world map projection intended to show Africa in a more accurate relative size, according to NPR World. The move is part of a long-running effort to challenge familiar map projections that make some regions appear larger or smaller than they really are, especially when compared with Africa.

NPR World reports that the U.S. was the only country to oppose the U.N. backing of the map. The central issue is not a new border or territorial change, but how the world is visually represented and how that affects perceptions of the size and importance of different continents.

The report highlights Africa as the focus of the change because conventional maps have often distorted its scale. In general background terms, map projections always involve tradeoffs between shape, area and distance, so different versions can emphasize different features. Supporters of more area-accurate maps say they can help correct misleading impressions about Africa’s geographic scale.

The development matters because maps are widely used in education, media and policy discussions, and changes in official endorsements can influence how institutions present the world. The U.N.’s backing gives added visibility to the effort, even as opposition from the U.S. shows that the issue still has political and practical debate attached to it.