UN considers major world map change to show Africa’s true scale

The United Nations General Assembly is set to vote on Friday on a resolution calling for the traditional Mercator world map to be phased out in favour of projections that more accurately show Africa’s size.

The resolution is sponsored by Togo and backed by the African Union's other 54 member states, according to The Guardian.

“This discussion is not a political discussion [but] a scientific discussion, because there is scientific proof so we all have to accept the reality,” Togo's foreign affairs minister Robert Dussey said.

The Mercator projection was introduced by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 to help sailors navigate. However, its design distorts the relative sizes of countries and continents.

Areas near the equator appear smaller, while regions closer to the poles appear significantly larger. Africa, for example, appears similar in size to Greenland on many Mercator maps despite being about 14 times larger.

The resolution recommends alternatives such as the Equal Earth projection.

France has announced it will support the resolution and adopt the Eckert IV projection.

UN resolutions are not legally binding, but supporters hope approval could encourage changes to maps used in schools, government and technology.

The African Union endorsed the #CorrectTheMap campaign in August 2025 before asking Togo to lead efforts for broader adoption.