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The UN changed the world map. Now some "smaller" countries are not happy about it
World

The UN changed the world map. Now some "smaller" countries are not happy about it

SAPO Notícias13 September 2026 at 17:05

The United Nations Organization decided to update the cartographic representation of the planet, encouraging maps that show the actual dimensions of the continents more accurately. This change aims to correct historical distortions present in traditional projections, such as the Mercator projection, which exaggerated the size of countries near the poles and reduced the proportion of territories near the equator.

The new cartographic representation brought to the surface a more complex issue than simply visual adjustments. With the alteration of geographic proportions, some countries that considered themselves "smaller" now have different visibility on the global map, which has caused discomfort among certain nations.

The central issue that emerged with this change is related to territorial disputes. The new way of representing the world highlighted the question of who certain territories belong to, fueling diplomatic tensions between countries with claims over the same geographic regions.

The UN's decision to promote a more realistic representation of the planet ended up revealing deep political fissures, demonstrating that cartography is not merely a technical tool, but also an instrument with significant geopolitical implications for the distribution of power on the international stage.

Why this matters

This cartographic change potentially affects how countries are represented and perceived internationally. The smaller countries, whose dimensions were historically exaggerated in various maps, may see their international visibility reduced with more realistic representations, which may have implications for their position in international negotiations and the global perception of their importance.

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