‘Correct The Map’ campaign: UN endorses a ‘larger’ Africa
The UN General Assembly has endorsed the 'Correct The Map' campaign, encouraging the use of the Equal Earth projection over the traditional Mercator map. The resolution aims to provide a more accurate visual representation of Africa's size relative to other continents.
Why it matters
This shift challenges long-standing cartographic biases that have historically distorted the perceived importance and scale of the Global South.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Friday endorsed a new world map that more accurately reflects Africa’s actual size, marking the culmination of a Togo-led campaign backed by the African Union and various advocacy groups.The UNGA adopted a resolution titled “Correct The Map”, with 164 member states voting in favour. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution, while six countries — Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine — abstained.The campaign urged governments and institutions worldwide to move away from the traditional Mercator projection, which has been widely used since the 16th century, and adopt the Equal Earth projection. Advocates and geographers say the Equal Earth map provides a more accurate representation of the relative size and proportions of continents.Under the Mercator projection, Greenland appears roughly comparable in size to Africa, despite being far smaller.
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