The United Nations has officially adopted a resolution to phase out the traditional Mercator map in favor of a new projection that accurately represents Africa's size. This decision was made during a session at the UN headquarters in New York, where 164 countries voted in favor of the resolution, while only the United States opposed it, calling the resolution "superfluous." There were also six abstentions.

Background

The resolution, sponsored by Togo on behalf of the African Union, aims to address the longstanding issue of disproportionate cartographic representations that have contributed to a skewed perception of Africa's size and significance. The Mercator projection, introduced in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, has been the global standard for centuries. However, its design significantly distorts the size of regions near the equator, making Africa appear similar in size to Greenland, despite being 14 times larger.

Key Points

  • The new map is based on the 2018 Equal Earth design, which provides a more accurate representation of land areas.
  • The resolution is non-enforceable, meaning countries are not required to adopt the new projection.
  • Togo's foreign affairs minister, Robert Dussey, emphasized that this discussion is rooted in scientific evidence, stating, "This discussion is not a political discussion [but] a scientific discussion."