The United Nations General Assembly votes on Friday on a resolution to formally replace the traditional Mercator map with a more accurate representation of Africa's size. The initiative is promoted by Togo and has the support of the remaining 54 member states of the African Union.
The Mercator map, created in the 16th century, is a cartographic projection that distorts the actual proportion of continents, making regions near the poles appear larger than they really are. This representation has been criticized for perpetuating a Eurocentric view of the world.
The UN vote follows a 2023 report by the organization that recognized the limitations of the traditional map and recommended the adoption of more accurate and fair geographical representations. The resolution aims to promote a more realistic image of global territorial distribution.
If approved, the resolution will not be binding, but intends to encourage schools, institutions and media outlets to adopt more balanced geographical representations and to raise awareness about the importance of cartography that reflects the true size of continents.
