The United Nations General Assembly has backed a new approach to world maps. The move aims to provide a more accurate view of continental sizes.
The UN resolution encourages countries to consider the Equal Earth projection. It offers a different representation of the world than the widely used Mercator projection.
The resolution was approved on Friday with support from 164 countries. The United States voted against the measure. Six other countries abstained from the vote.
The decision has renewed attention on how maps shape perceptions of the world. Traditional maps can make some regions appear much larger than their actual size.
Why the Mercator Map Creates Distortion
The Mercator projection was created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. It was originally designed mainly for maritime navigation.
The projection has remained popular because it preserves directions, shapes and angles effectively. However, it does not accurately show the relative areas of landmasses.
Areas closer to the North and South Poles appear significantly larger. This effect is especially noticeable when compared with regions near the equator.
As a result, Europe and North America can look much larger than they are. Africa and South America can appear smaller than their actual surface areas.
Equal Earth Projection Offers a Different View
The Equal Earth projection was developed by cartographers and introduced in 2018. Its main purpose is to represent continental areas more accurately.
The projection aims to maintain the relative sizes of landmasses. It also keeps continental shapes reasonably similar to their appearance on a globe.
With the Equal Earth projection, Africa appears considerably larger. Latin America, South Asia and Oceania also receive greater visual representation.
The UN believes maps can influence how people understand geography. They are widely used in schools, media and public education.
Togo sponsored the resolution and highlighted the broader importance of accurate maps. Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps can influence collective perceptions.
He also warned that inaccurate representations can continue across generations. The issue therefore extends beyond cartography and into education and public understanding.
US Opposes the Resolution
The United States opposed the resolution during the General Assembly vote. Washington argued that the UN should focus on more urgent global challenges.
Despite the US objection, the resolution received broad international support. The vote has brought renewed focus to geographic accuracy in commonly used world maps.
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The Equal Earth projection is now being encouraged as an alternative to the traditional Mercator map. Its adoption could help provide a clearer comparison of continental sizes in educational and public settings.
