The United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to vote Friday on a landmark resolution to formally phase out the traditional Mercator projection in favor of a new world map that shows Africa’s true scale. The proposal, spearheaded by Togo and supported by the 54 member states of the African Union, seeks to correct centuries of cartographic distortion that has historically minimized the physical presence of the African continent and the Global South. If passed, the resolution would recommend a global transition toward maps that accurately reflect the landmass of nations, potentially reshaping educational systems, navigation technology, and international diplomatic perceptions.
Togolese Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Dussey, who has emerged as a leading voice for the initiative, characterized the upcoming vote as a necessary alignment with scientific reality rather than a purely political maneuver. The resolution follows a growing international movement to decolonize geographic representations, which critics argue have long reinforced Western-centric worldviews. While UN General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry significant moral and political weight, often serving as a catalyst for changes in national policies and international standards.
The primary target of the resolution is the Mercator projection, a map style introduced by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. Originally designed as a tool for marine navigation, the Mercator projection preserves angles and shapes, allowing sailors to plot straight-line courses across oceans. However, to achieve this functionality on a flat surface, the map significantly distorts the size of landmasses as they move further from the equator.
The Scientific Necessity for a New World Map That Shows Africa’s True Scale
Under the Mercator projection, regions in the high latitudes appear much larger than they are in reality, while equatorial regions are visually compressed. This has led to a persistent global misunderstanding of geography, where Greenland appears roughly the same size as Africa. In reality, Africa is approximately 11.7 million square miles, making it 14 times larger than Greenland’s 836,000 square miles.
The #CorrectTheMap campaign, which has garnered over 11,000 signatures on Change.org and received the endorsement of the African Union in August 2025, highlights the sheer scale of the African continent. Advocates point out that the landmass of the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico, and the majority of Europe can all fit within the borders of Africa with room to spare. By adopting a new world map that shows Africa’s true scale, the UN aims to rectify these visual discrepancies that have persisted in classrooms and government offices for nearly 500 years.
"This discussion is not a political discussion but a scientific discussion," Dussey stated during a press briefing. "There is scientific proof, so we all have to accept the reality." The minister emphasized that continuing to use a distorted map in the 21st century is a rejection of modern cartographic accuracy in favor of colonial-era convenience.
Challenging the Legacy of Cartographic Colonialism
The movement to adopt a new world map that shows Africa’s true scale is deeply rooted in the concept of "cartographic colonialism." Historians and geographers have long argued that the Mercator projection is not a neutral tool but one that has subtly shaped international power dynamics. By visually inflating the size of Northern Hemisphere nations—specifically Europe and North America—the map has historically reinforced a sense of physical and political dominance.
Conversely, the visual shrinking of Africa, South America, and South Asia has been linked by some analysts to a minimization of the Global South’s importance in trade, development, and geopolitical strategy. JJ Enoch, a senior associate at the geopolitical risk advisory firm JS Held, noted that the Mercator projection has visually diminished Africa’s true scale for centuries. He suggested that the campaign represents a broader quest by African nations for greater influence in global institutions and more control over their own representation on the world stage.
"Adopting an equal-area map would provide a more accurate basis for education and public understanding," Enoch said. He added that the shift would signal that Africa’s demographic, economic, and geopolitical importance should no longer be viewed through "inherited and distorted conventions."
Transitioning to the Equal Earth Projection
The resolution specifically promotes the adoption of the Equal Earth projection, a design released in 2018 by an international team of cartographers including Tom Patterson, Bernhard Jenny, and Bojan Šavrič. Unlike the Mercator projection, the Equal Earth map is an "equal-area" projection, meaning it accurately represents the relative size of all landmasses. While it slightly distorts the shapes of continents to achieve this, it provides a much more realistic view of the world’s proportions.
The Equal Earth map was developed as a modern alternative to the Gall-Peters projection, which was introduced in 1973 by German historian Arno Peters. While the Gall-Peters map was also intended to show the true size of the Global South, it was often criticized for its extreme vertical stretching of continents. The Equal Earth design is widely considered more visually appealing and mathematically sound, making it the preferred choice for the #CorrectTheMap campaign.
Supporters of the Equal Earth projection argue that it is the most effective tool for decolonizing global curriculums. By providing students with a map that accurately reflects the world, educators can help dismantle subconscious biases regarding the "importance" of nations based on their perceived size.
Implications for Education, Technology, and Global Governance
The adoption of a new world map that shows Africa’s true scale would have far-reaching consequences beyond the walls of the United Nations. If the resolution passes, it is expected to trigger a massive update of classroom materials across the globe. Textbooks, wall maps, and digital educational resources would need to be revised to reflect the new standard, ensuring that future generations grow up with a more accurate understanding of global geography.
The technology sector also faces significant changes. Digital mapping services, most notably Google Maps, have traditionally relied on the Mercator projection because of its ability to maintain seamless zooming and local street-level accuracy. However, as the demand for cartographic justice grows, tech companies may face pressure to incorporate equal-area projections into their global views.
Togolese authorities have already begun planning for this transition. Following the vote, the government of Togo intends to host an event in the capital, Lomé, during the first quarter of next year. This summit will reportedly include representatives from UNESCO, the African Union, and major technology brands like Google Maps to discuss the practical implementation of the resolution.
A Growing Momentum for African-Led Resolutions
The push for a new world map that shows Africa’s true scale comes on the heels of other successful diplomatic efforts by African nations at the UN. In March, a resolution sponsored by Ghana to designate the transatlantic slave trade as the "gravest crime against humanity" passed with 123 votes in favor. That success has bolstered the confidence of Togolese officials and their allies, who see the map resolution as the next step in reclaiming African history and identity.
The diplomatic strategy involves framing the issue as a matter of universal truth rather than regional grievance. By focusing on the scientific inaccuracy of the Mercator projection, proponents hope to gain support from a broad coalition of nations that value educational integrity.
"To those who say why now, I say, why not?" Dussey remarked. "When we look at the world map, it is time for us to change the narrative. It’s time for us in Africa to take responsibility to change what we can change ourselves."
Reimagining Global Proportions
As the international community prepares for Friday’s vote, the conversation around the new world map that shows Africa’s true scale continues to gain traction in academic and social circles. The shift represents more than just a change in geometry; it is a symbolic move toward a more equitable world where the physical reality of a continent is no longer obscured by the limitations of 16th-century navigation tools.
While some traditionalists may argue for the continued use of the Mercator projection due to its familiarity and historical significance, the momentum appears to be on the side of change. The African Union’s unified support for the measure suggests that the continent is increasingly willing to use its collective diplomatic weight to challenge long-standing international norms.
The outcome of the vote will serve as a barometer for the UN’s commitment to addressing the legacy of colonialism in all its forms, including the way we visualize the earth itself. Should the resolution pass, the world may soon see a map where the vastness of Africa is finally given its due prominence, forever altering the way humanity perceives the planet.
