In recent days, the United Nations General Assembly gave the green light to a proposal put forward by a coalition of African states, introducing a map that depicts the African continent on a larger scale than is seen on traditional maps.
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The document was backed by 164 member states, while the United States voted against it and six other countries abstained. The resolution aims to promote the map known as the Equal Earth projection, which is described as a suitable solution for improving the accuracy of cartographic representations of the planet.
Robert Dussey, Togo’s foreign minister, said the move affirms the African truth. But what is the fundamental difference between this map and the traditional one, and what prompted Washington’s opposition? The UN is now calling on participating countries to replace the centuries-old Mercator projection, a standard shaped by maritime navigation and created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569.
This old system prioritized the accuracy of geographic outlines and angles but distorted the true proportions of land areas, a consequence of the complications involved in converting a three-dimensional sphere into a two-dimensional plane. As a result, northern regions were enlarged while tropical areas were compressed, making Europe and North America appear disproportionately large and Africa and South America appear miniature.
“Of course, changing maps does not transform the geographical reality of the world,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said. “But correcting a distorted image is simply an act of truth,” he added. Although the measure is not legally binding, it is intended to serve as a catalyst for updating global cartographic standards.
