United Nations General Assembly Adopts New Equal Earth Map Draft
The United Nations has voted to adopt the Equal Earth map projection, which will replace the centuries-old Mercator projection and reflect the true land areas of countries.
Following an initiative spearheaded by African nations, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a new map projection aiming to reflect the true proportions and sizes of countries worldwide.
History and Distortions of the Mercator Projection
Developed in 1569 by European cartographer Gerardus Mercator, the projection has long been widely used for navigation purposes due to its constant compass directions on north-south lines.
However, because this projection disproportionately enlarges the sizes of countries as they get further from the equator, it creates serious scale distortions when used as a world map.
Africa-Led Rights Initiative
The 'Fix the Map' resolution, submitted by African Union member states and the Bahamas, was prepared as a reaction against the perceptual downsizing of the African continent and unfair representation.
In the vote, the resolution received overwhelming support, being adopted with 164 member states voting in favor, six abstaining, and only the United States casting a dissenting vote.
Distortions Between True Sizes and the Map
On the Mercator map, Greenland appears larger than the South American continent and creates the impression of being similar in size to Africa.
In reality, Greenland is only about the size of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while the African continent is approximately 14 times the size of Greenland.
Cognitive Justice and the Equal Earth Projection
The UN resolution states that current distortions overshadow the socioeconomic realities and development potentials of regions in the Southern Hemisphere, recommending the abandonment of the Mercator map.
Accordingly, the adoption of the Equal Earth projection, which shows the surface areas of regions closest to reality, is presented as a step toward cognitive justice.
Initial Reactions and Decisions from Countries
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that his country would abandon the Mercator projection in favor of indicators that accurately reflect the surface areas of countries.
The African Union adopted the Equal Earth Map in March, and in April, Togo made an official call for other UN members to take the same step.
Calls for Digital Platforms and the Future
The draft text requests that existing digital mapping platforms, such as Google Maps, also adopt more accurate projections by consulting with members and regional organizations.
This decision opens the door to a profound process of change in geographical mapping approaches that have shaped global perception for centuries.