Major technology firms, textbook publishers and education authorities around the world may have to reconsider how they present digital and print maps after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution endorsing a world projection that reflects Africa’s true physical scale.
The resolution, titled “Correct the Map” (A/80/L.104), passed by a 164–1 vote.
Spearheaded by Togo on behalf of the African Group, the measure urges governments, media outlets and tech platforms to move away from the 1569 Mercator projection, which artificially inflates the size of landmasses in the northern hemisphere, in favour of equal-area models such as the Equal Earth projection.
While non-binding, the decision could shift the debate from diplomatic chambers to the private sector.
The African Union announced plans to engage directly with global mapping platforms, educational publishers and software developers to promote the Equal Earth model as the default view in digital navigation and classroom curricula.
“Maps shape our understanding of the world,” Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said ahead of the vote. “They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions. When they present a distorted image of our planet, they risk perpetuating inaccurate representations passed down through generations.”
Under the widely used Mercator projection, Greenland appears comparable in size to Africa, despite Africa being approximately 14 times larger. The Equal Earth projection, created in 2018, preserves relative surface area while maintaining recognisable continental shapes.
The resolution also sparked diplomatic friction. France co-sponsored the text and pledged to abandon Mercator in state materials. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot praised the outcome, writing on X: “Changing maps obviously doesn’t change the world. But correcting a representation that distorts it is already an act of truth.”
The United States cast the sole opposing vote, while six nations abstained. US representative Yaryna Ferencevych criticised the General Assembly for diverting attention from pressing security and humanitarian crises.
“Instead of focusing on genuine problems, this body is debating map projects from the 16th century,” Ferencevych said, warning that the UN was compromising its institutional focus.
Despite the resistance, advocacy groups such as Africa No Filter hailed the vote as a turning point, saying the focus now shifts to implementation across search engines, mobile basemaps and school boards worldwide.