UN backs map showing Africa’s true size
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The United Nations recently approved a non-binding resolution supporting the Equal Earth map projection, which more accurately displays the true size of landmasses.
Currently, the widely used Mercator projection exaggerates the size of land near the North and South Poles, making Africa appear much smaller than it is. In the Mercator projection, countries close to the poles can look two to fourteen times larger than their actual size.
The Equal Earth projection minimizes these distortions, making Africa appear larger in comparison to other parts of the world. Jack Swab and Derek Alderman, cartographers who study the social and communicative power of maps, explain that map projections are techniques used to transform the round, three-dimensional Earth into a flat, two-dimensional map. When cartographers flatten the globe, the map inevitably becomes distorted, changing shapes and areas.
There is no projection that displays Earth without distortion, but some are better suited for specific purposes. The Equal Earth projection is better suited than Mercator for creating world maps intended for education, public communication, and policy-making, allowing for a more accurate geographic understanding of the relative sizes of countries and continents.
While the Mercator projection remains useful for navigation because it maintains compass direction accuracy, the UN’s support for Equal Earth signals a broader message that it is a fairer projection for representing Earth’s landmasses equally. The resolution does not guarantee global adoption, but requires conscious changes to maps used in textbooks, databases, media, and diplomatic discussions.
