The UN has backed a new world map that makes Africa bigger and the US smaller
SBS News
β’Fri, 4 Sep 2026 21:54:45 +0000
π° What Happened
The UN General Assembly voted on Saturday to support a resolution, spearheaded by several African countries, adopting a new world map that makes Africa bigger while shrinking North America and Europe. Supported by 164 countries, the resolution passed with the United States voting against and six other states abstaining. The 'Equal Earth' cartographic projection is urged on member states as a more accurate representation of the world's continental landmasses than the traditional Mercator projection.
π The Backstory
The Mercator projection, designed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 for maritime navigation, drastically distorts the size of landmasses, making Europe and North America appear much larger than Africa, which is far bigger in reality. Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, who drove the resolution, argued that 'maps guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions'. African nations have long campaigned against the projection's bias.
π― Why It Matters
The choice of world map shapes how generations of students understand the relative size of continents, and adopting a more accurate projection challenges long-standing cartographic bias. The vote is largely symbolic β the resolution urges member states to adopt the projection rather than mandating it β but it marks a significant shift in how the international community presents the world. It also highlights the ongoing debate over who gets to define global representation.
The UN General Assembly voted on Saturday to support a resolution, spearheaded by several African countries, adopting a new world map that makes Africa bigger while shrinking North America and Europe. Supported by 164 countries, the resolution passed with the United States voting against and six other states abstaining. The 'Equal Earth' cartographic projection is urged on member states as a more accurate representation of the world's continental landmasses than the traditional Mercator projection.
The Mercator projection, designed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 for maritime navigation, drastically distorts the size of landmasses, making Europe and North America appear much larger than Africa, which is far bigger in reality. Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, who drove the resolution, argued that 'maps guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions'. African nations have long campaigned against the projection's bias.
The choice of world map shapes how generations of students understand the relative size of continents, and adopting a more accurate projection challenges long-standing cartographic bias. The vote is largely symbolic β the resolution urges member states to adopt the projection rather than mandating it β but it marks a significant shift in how the international community presents the world. It also highlights the ongoing debate over who gets to define global representation.