The Mercator projection is the map widely used across the globe but inaccurately depicts the sizes of countries and continents. Image Credit: BBC
Society The WorldAfrica Gets a Fairer Map
The UN General Assembly has backed a more accurate world map that reflects Africa’s true size and gives continents a fairer representation worldwide.
“A fair world begins with a fair map,” said Robert Dussey, Togo’s foreign minister.
The resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by African Union members, passed with backing from 164 nations and promotes the Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018 to represent continental areas more accurately. The widely used Mercator projection makes Africa appear similar in size to Greenland, although Africa covers about 30.4 million sq km and is roughly 14 times larger. The African Union’s 54 member states adopted the Equal Earth projection in February, supporting a shift towards maps that better reflect Africa’s geographic scale and global significance.
