The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa, in a symbolic but significant move aimed at correcting what campaigners call a centuries-old “cartographic injustice.”
The “Correct the Map” resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union member states, passed with the support of 164 nations, including France and the UK. The United States was the only nation to vote against it, with six abstentions.
The vote is non-binding but will see changes to the maps used by UN institutions and is expected to influence educational materials and official publications worldwide.
The Mercator map, which has been in common use since the 16th Century, has long been criticised for distorting the size of continents. It shows Africa as similar in size to Greenland, even though the continent is 14 times larger. Critics argue this distortion has minimised the development needs and potential of countries near the equator.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, who sponsored the resolution, said “a fair world begins with a fair map.” In a UN briefing, he added: “A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot expressed support, saying his ministry would stop using the Mercator map. “Changing the map obviously doesn’t change the world. But correcting a representation that distorts it is already an act of truth,” he said.
The resolution follows the adoption of the Equal Earth projection by the African Union’s 54 member states in February, which more accurately represents the sizes of all continents. Online campaign group #CorrectTheMap has highlighted the distortion by noting that Africa could contain the United States, China, India, Japan, Mexico, and much of Europe with land to spare.
Lerato Mogoatlhe from Africa No Filter, one of the campaign groups, described the misrepresentation as “the world’s longest misinformation and disinformation” about Africa. “Africa’s misrepresentation on world maps is not just a cartographic error – it’s a narrative issue,” she said.
The United States opposed the resolution, with representative Yaryna Ferencevych arguing that the UN should focus on “genuine problems of international peace, prosperity, or good relations” rather than debating map projections.
The vote follows a similar US objection in March when a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade “the gravest crime against humanity” was adopted.
For Kenyan geographer Kioko Muendo, the change has real-world implications. “Maps are more than just guides for travellers – they shape how regions are perceived politically and economically,” he told the BBC. “The Mercator map has implicitly downplayed the African continent’s vast resources, population and investment opportunities.”
While the adoption of the new map is largely symbolic, it represents a significant step in efforts to reshape perceptions of Africa and ensure its representation reflects its true scale and potential.
