UN Assembly Votes to Replace Mercator Projection Map

On a recent date, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution with an overwhelming majority, encouraging governments and institutions to replace the Mercator projection, a 16th-century map, with the Equal Earth projection, which accurately represents the true proportions of continents. The US was the only country to dissent, arguing that the resolution promoted an “ideological agenda” and distracted from genuine international issues.

The Mercator projection, designed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, was originally intended for navigation but distorted the size of regions, notably making Greenland appear similar in size to Africa, which is actually fourteen times larger. This distortion has historical implications, particularly during the Scramble for Africa, where European powers partitioned the continent with a false sense of manageability.

Critics argue that this visual distortion has lasting effects on perceptions of Africa's significance and size, influencing how future generations view the continent.