The United Nations General Assembly has this month endorsed a new cartographic tool, the Equal Earth Projection, to accurately represent continent sizes, particularly Africa. This decision, backed by 164 nations and championed by Togo, seeks to address historical distortions present in widely used world maps like the 16th-century Mercator projection, long criticized for exaggerating the scale of northern hemisphere countries.
The Equal Earth projection was developed in 2018 by a trio of cartographers: Tom Patterson, a US national parks cartographer; Bojan Šavrič, a California-based software engineer; and Bernhard Jenny, an associate professor at Monash University in Australia. Their work aimed to offer an alternative to traditional displays, which critics argue have subtly reinforced perceptions of global power by visually enlarging nations in the Northern Hemisphere.
The UN’s adoption of this new projection, which is hoped will gradually replace older models on educational and governmental platforms, marks a significant shift. Togo’s foreign minister, Robert Dussey, expressed immense pride, stating, as DW.com reported, that Africa is now asserting its rightful position on the international stage, challenging an unfair portrayal that misrepresents its historical, geographical, and economic reality.
International Reactions and Cartographic Challenges
Despite broad support, the resolution was not universally embraced. The United States cast the sole “no” vote, with its UN representative, Yaryna Ferencevych, dismissing such initiatives as “barnacles on our work here,” according to The Guardian. The new projection notably depicts the US and Greenland as considerably smaller, with the latter having been openly coveted by former President Donald Trump. Six other nations abstained from the vote.
Some specific concerns were raised by abstaining nations. Japan requested a revision, contending that the map on Patterson’s website depicted the disputed Kuril Islands in the same shade as Russia, implying Russian ownership. Ukraine also abstained, objecting that Russian-occupied Crimea was shown in a different color from the rest of the country, a move its representatives at the UN described as opening a “Pandora’s box” and violating international law.
The cartographers behind the Equal Earth projection clarified that these objections stem from a misunderstanding. The map endorsed by the UN is a pure mathematical projection, devoid of human-made borders or specific shading. The confusion arose from a website maintained by Patterson, which offers free Equal Earth projections annotated with geopolitical lines and country names. Patterson acknowledged receiving helpful suggestions and has been updating these online versions, including changes to colors and spellings like Turkey to Türkiye.
Redefining Global Perspectives and African Identity
The UN’s decision aligns with a broader global movement towards the “decolonization of knowledge,” a trend that has gained momentum since the late 2000s, as highlighted by French historian Romain Tiquet to DW.com. This movement scrutinizes the origins and power dynamics embedded in categories used to conceptualize the world, with cartography fitting directly into this context.
Several African countries are actively working to decolonize their educational systems. Mali’s government, for instance, decided in October 2025 to remove French history from its school curriculum, focusing instead on Malian history and ancient West African kingdoms. Similarly, Tanzania has made its own history and ethics a compulsory subject, taught in Swahili, replacing global history. Other nations like Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, and Kenya have adopted similar approaches, as noted by Philemon Mtoi from Tumaini University Makumira in Tanzania.
This shift in cartography has significant implications beyond national borders. The UN resolution on maps encourages a global reassessment of how geographic information is presented, challenging deeply ingrained biases that can influence international relations, economic perceptions, and even educational curricula worldwide. Organizations like Africa No Filter, which supported the “Correct the Map” campaign, argue that biased media coverage alone costs Africa an estimated $4.2 billion annually in inflated interest payments, underscoring the tangible economic impact of distorted narratives and images. By promoting more accurate representations, there is potential to foster a more equitable understanding of global realities, influencing everything from investment decisions to humanitarian aid and cultural exchange.
As the Equal Earth projection gains traction, the ongoing debates surrounding its implementation highlight the complex interplay of mathematics, politics, and perception in global cartography. What remains to be seen is how quickly the new projection will integrate into everyday life, and how effectively it will contribute to a more nuanced global understanding, fostering continuous discussions about map literacy and the inherent trade-offs in representing our spherical world on a flat surface.
Image: The Guardian
Sources consulted
- AP News: This truth emerges as political situations change fast: Maps show us our world, but not neutrally
- The Guardian: ‘A map is never neutral’: meet the cartographers who took on centuries of western bias
- DW.com: Decolonizing perceptions about Africa
Adrian Velk is a global affairs journalist focused on breaking news, geopolitics, and societal trends. With a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy, he delivers timely reporting that helps readers understand the fast-moving world around them. His work blends factual depth with clear storytelling, making complex events accessible to a broad audience.
