UN Adopts Equal Earth Map to Correct Colonial Map Distortions
The UN votes to phase out Mercator projections that minimized Africa's true size.
1The Politics of Map Projections
Maps are inherently political, as seen in recent debates over Google's adjustments to Lake Ontario borders. The Mercator projection, created in 1569 for European navigation, distorts sizes based on latitude. This makes northern continents appear larger while shrinking equatorial regions like Africa. The UN resolution highlights how these distortions have perpetuated colonial-era power imbalances through cartography.
2How Mercator Distorts Reality
The Mercator projection stretches landmasses near the poles, making Greenland appear comparable to Africa (which is actually 14x larger). Europe appears 200% larger than South America despite being smaller in reality. This occurs because the projection maps Earth onto a cylinder, preserving navigation angles but severely distorting area measurements beyond 15° latitude from the equator.
3Africa's Longstanding Complaint
African nations have protested for decades that Mercator maps minimize their continent's true scale. On world maps, Africa (30.4M km²) often appears smaller than Russia (17.1M km²) when it's nearly twice as large. The UN resolution notes this 'symbolic minimization' has affected global perceptions of Africa's geopolitical importance since the colonial era.
4The UN's Historic Vote
On Friday, 164 UN members approved a resolution promoting equal-area maps like Equal Earth. Only the US opposed, calling it 'radical ideology,' while six European nations abstained. The non-binding resolution urges schools, governments, and tech companies to adopt projections that accurately represent continent sizes when scale matters most.
5Equal Earth Projection Explained
The recommended Equal Earth projection maintains true relative sizes without Mercator's polar exaggeration. It keeps continents proportionally accurate while minimizing shape distortion. Unlike Mercator, it doesn't prioritize navigation—making it better for education and geopolitical representation. France announced switching to Equal Earth hours before the UN vote.
6Why Tech Companies Resist Change
Google and Apple still use Mercator variants because their conformal properties simplify digital mapping calculations. Changing projections would require overhauling geolocation algorithms. Critics argue this prioritizes technical convenience over accurate representation, especially for developing nations disproportionately affected by size distortions.
7Educational Implications
Studies show Mercator maps in schools reinforce Eurocentric worldviews. Children perceive Africa as smaller and less significant than reality. The UN recommends teaching multiple projections to emphasize that all flat maps distort spherical Earth differently. Some European schools already use Peters or Winkel Tripel projections alongside Mercator.
8A Cartographic Reckoning
This resolution marks growing recognition that maps shape power dynamics. While not banning Mercator outright, it challenges institutions to reconsider default projections. As Africa leads this cartographic correction, the shift mirrors broader efforts to decolonize historical narratives—one map at a time.
Original article: Gizmodo — UN Adopts Equal Earth Map to Correct Colonial Map Distortions