UN votes 164-1 to adopt area-accurate world maps, US sole no vote
The United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution on September 5, 2026, to replace the Mercator projection with area-accurate maps like the Equal Earth projection, following an African-led campaign. The vote was 164 in favor, 6 abstentions, and the United States as the sole opposing nation. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569, distorts landmass sizes, making Africa appear much smaller than its actual size relative to Europe and North America.
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U.S. Isolated in Opposing UN Resolution for More Accurate World Maps
The United States was the only country to vote against a United Nations General Assembly resolution encouraging the use of more accurate world maps, specifically advocating a shift from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth projection. The resolution, driven by the African Group of 54 countries, aims to correct the Mercator projection's distortion that makes Africa appear smaller relative to landmasses near the poles. U.S. officials characterized the resolution as an affront to 'common sense,' a 'radical ideological project,' and a distraction from more important UN matters. The author, writing for the Council on Foreign Relations, criticizes this stance, arguing that it alienates African nations by dismissing a legitimate effort to correct a cartographic distortion that minimizes their continent. The author suggests the U.S. position reflects a broader pattern of insisting on fiction, such as denying climate change, which isolates the U.S. internationally.
US Casts Sole Vote Against UN Resolution for Accurate World Maps
The United States was the only country to vote against a United Nations General Assembly resolution encouraging member states to adopt more accurate world maps, specifically moving away from the Mercator projection to the Equal Earth projection. The resolution, driven by the African Group of 54 countries, aimed to correct the distortion that makes Africa appear smaller than its actual size. US officials argued the resolution was an affront to 'common sense' and a 'radical ideological project.' The author criticizes this stance, suggesting it alienates African nations and reflects a broader US tendency to reject factual corrections, such as climate change denial. The Council on Foreign Relations, an independent think tank, published the piece as the author's personal views.
UN adopts new world map standard to correct historical distortion from Mercator projection
On September 4, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new international standard for world maps, replacing the centuries-old Mercator projection with the Equal Earth Projection. The initiative, led by African nations, aims to correct a historical distortion that has made countries near the equator appear smaller than they are. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 for European navigation, exaggerates the size of polar regions while shrinking equatorial areas. For example, Africa is actually 14 times larger than Greenland, but on Mercator maps they appear similar in size. The new Equal Earth Projection, created in 2018, represents all countries and continents by their true area. The article argues that distorted maps produce distorted worldviews, potentially influencing perceptions of national power and geopolitical claims. The resolution marks a significant shift in cartographic standards, though the Mercator projection will still be used for navigation purposes where its angle-preserving properties remain essential.
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UN adopts new world map standard on Africa's initiative to correct area distortions
On September 4, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new international standard for world maps, replacing the centuries-old Mercator projection with the Equal Earth Projection. The initiative, led by African nations, aims to correct the severe area distortions that have historically made Europe and North America appear larger than they are while shrinking Africa and other equatorial regions. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 for European navigation, preserves angles but dramatically exaggerates landmasses far from the equator. For example, it makes Greenland appear as large as Africa, when in reality Africa is 14 times larger. The new Equal Earth Projection, developed in 2018, represents all countries and continents with true area. The article argues that distorted maps have shaped distorted worldviews, potentially influencing perceptions of national power and geopolitical importance. The resolution marks a significant shift in cartographic standards, acknowledging that maps are not just navigation tools but also shape global perceptions.
Read sourceUN General Assembly endorses new world map showing Africa's true size; US votes against
The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on Friday endorsing the adoption of the Equal Earth projection as a more accurate world map, replacing the traditional Mercator projection. The resolution, proposed by Togo and backed by African Union members, passed with 164 votes in favor. Only the United States voted against it, while six countries—Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine—abstained. The Mercator projection, designed in the 16th century for European navigation, distorts landmass sizes by enlarging regions near the poles like Greenland and North America while shrinking Africa and South America. The Equal Earth projection, created in 2018, shows continents in their true proportions, revealing Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland. The resolution is non-binding and encourages, rather than mandates, the use of the new map in schools, textbooks, newsrooms, and digital platforms. Advocates, including Africa No Filter and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot, hailed the vote as an act of truth in correcting a long-standing misrepresentation of the world.
Read sourceUN General Assembly Approves World Map Reform to Accurately Depict Africa's Size
On September 5, 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution titled 'Correct the map,' introduced by Togo and supported by the African Union, to replace the traditional Mercator projection world map with area-accurate alternatives. The vote was 164 in favor, 6 abstentions, and the United States as the sole opposing nation. The resolution, though non-binding, calls on governments, schools, international organizations, and technology companies to use the 'Equal Earth' projection and other maps that accurately represent relative sizes. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 for navigation, distorts areas by enlarging regions farther from the equator, making Greenland appear comparable in size to Africa, which is actually nearly 14 times larger. Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey hailed the decision as historic, emphasizing justice, dignity, and equality in cartographic representation. The African Union had long complained that the distortion conveys a false worldview affecting education, media, and politics. The US rejected the resolution as part of a radical ideological project.
Read sourceUN backs African-led effort to depict Africa correctly on maps despite US opposition
The United Nations largely endorsed a resolution on Friday to promote maps that accurately reflect the true scale of continents, following an African-led campaign to move away from the 16th-century Mercator projection. The United States was the only country to vote against the initiative, dismissing it as part of a 'much larger and more radical ideological project.' Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine abstained. The Mercator projection, devised in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator for nautical navigation, is the world's most commonly used map projection but distorts the size of landmasses, making Africa and other regions appear smaller than their actual size relative to Europe and North America. The resolution aims to correct this misrepresentation and promote more accurate cartographic depictions.
Read sourceUN Votes to Replace Traditional World Map to Accurately Depict Africa's Size
The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution to replace the traditional Mercator projection world map with a more area-accurate version, in a move hailed as 'historic' by Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey. The resolution, titled 'Correct the map,' was introduced by Togo and supported by African Union members, receiving 164 votes in favor, 6 abstentions, and a single opposing vote from the United States. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569 for navigation, significantly distorts landmass sizes, making regions far from the equator appear larger than they are—for example, Greenland appears comparable to Africa, though Africa is nearly 14 times larger. The non-binding resolution calls on governments, schools, international organizations, and tech companies to adopt the 'Equal Earth' projection or other area-accurate maps when relative size matters. The African Union had previously criticized the Mercator projection for conveying a false worldview affecting education, media, and politics. The US rejected the resolution, calling it part of a 'radical ideological project.'
Read sourceUN votes 164-1 to stop using Mercator projection on maps; US sole no vote
The United Nations has voted to stop using the Mercator projection on maps, passing a resolution with 164 votes in favor and only one against. The United States was the sole country to vote 'no' on the resolution. The Mercator projection, developed in 1569, is a cylindrical map projection that preserves angles but distorts the size of landmasses, particularly making regions near the poles appear much larger than they are near the equator. This distortion has been criticized for centuries as it exaggerates the size of Europe and North America while minimizing the size of Africa, South America, and other equatorial regions. The UN's decision marks a significant shift in cartographic standards, potentially affecting how maps are used in official UN documents, educational materials, and global communications. The resolution's passage reflects growing awareness of the political and cultural implications of map projections, with many advocating for more accurate representations of the world's geography.
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