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

Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Open Navigation Menu --> Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Close Navigation Menu Home News Expand/collapse submenu for News National World Politics Business Health Science Climate Race Culture Expand/collapse submenu for Culture Books Movies Television Pop Culture Food Art & Design Performing Arts Life Kit Gaming Music Expand/collapse submenu for Music Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions Podcasts & Shows Expand/collapse submenu for Podcasts & Shows Daily Morning Edition Weekend Edition Saturday Weekend Edition Sunday All Things Considered Up First Here & Now NPR Politics Podcast Featured Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics U.N. backs new world map showing Africa in true relative size The U.N. has backed a new map showing Africa in its true relative size, with the U.S. standing alone in opposition. Africa The U.N. backs a new world map showing Africa in its true relative size September 4, 20266:26 PM ET By Jewel Bright Alyson Hurt/NPR LAGOS, Nigeria — The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly backed a resolution aimed at changing the way Africa and other regions are represented on world maps. The United States was the only country to vote against it. Before the vote, Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps are far more than simple representations of geography. "Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions," Dussey said. Instead, it encourages wider use of equal-area projections such as Equal Earth, which more accurately show the true relative size of countries and continents, particularly Africa, although their shapes are somewhat distorted. Members of the Correct the Map campaign are encouraging governments, international organizations and educational institutions to adopt the Equal Earth projection. Loading... That contrasts with the traditional Mercator projection. Created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, it preserves the shape of land masses but distorts their size, with regions closer to the poles appearing significantly larger than they actually are. The Mercator projection was developed primarily for navigation. It allowed sailors to plot courses along straight lines while maintaining a constant compass bearing, making it particularly useful for explorers and navigators. World African Union backs campaign to replace Mercator map that distorts Africa's size "If you're using the Mercator map as a world map, say, in the classroom, students would just have a completely warped view of the size of countries in the world," Patterson said. Critics have long argued that the projection's distortion makes northern regions appear disproportionately large, while Africa and other areas closer to the equator appear smaller than they really are. Supporters of the Correct the Map campaign say a different projection could help provide a fairer visual representation of the world and challenge longstanding misconceptions about Africa's size and importance. But the United States strongly opposed the initiative. In a statement after the vote, Yaryna Ferencevych, deputy U.S. representative to the U.N. "Resolutions like this and the ideological agenda they promote, are barnacles on our work here, and the reason this institution is losing its credibility," the statement read. The vote was welcomed by the African Union which has backed the Correct the Map campaign. In a statement on X, the African Union said: "Today's resolution promotes equal-area maps like Equal Earth across classrooms, media, and international institutions, ensuring the world map finally reflects Africa's true scale, weight, and place in the world." Patterson expressed his surprise upon seeing the news. "Wow. When we [Bojan Šavrič and Bernie Jenny] created the Equal Earth projection in 2018, we never imagined this," he wrote on social media. Carlos Lopes, a professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and a prominent advocate of the campaign, also celebrated the result. Posting on X after the vote, he wrote: "164 votes in favour! This is an emotional day for me." NPR does not offer or accept money for coverage or interviews. Anyone who makes such an offer or request is not an NPR employee and does not represent NPR. Sponsor Message Become an NPR sponsor