Nigeria: Nigeria has joined forces with 163 other countries to endorse a groundbreaking African-led United Nations resolution aimed at correcting the world maps to fairly reflect Africa’s true geographical size. The UN General Assembly passed the landmark ‘Correct the Map’ resolution with an overwhelming majority of 164 votes in favor, one vote against, and six abstentions.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the United States was the sole nation to oppose the resolution, while Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine chose to abstain. Formally titled ‘Correct the Map: Rebalancing global cartographic representation and promoting equitable representation of the world’s regions, particularly Africa,’ the resolution marks a significant victory for the African Union-backed campaign challenging historical map representations that have depicted the African continent as disproportionately small.
Africa, the world’s second-largest continent by both land area and population, covers approximately 30 million square kilometers. However, advocates argue that conventional Mercator maps have historically minimized its visual impact, portraying it as less imposing than its actual dimensions. The vote saw an overwhelming endorsement from UN members, supporting Africa’s demand for more accurate global geographical representation.
Togo spearheaded negotiations on behalf of the African Group, building on an African Union-supported initiative that emphasizes the need for Africa to be represented according to its true size. Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey addressed the UN General Assembly, emphasizing that maps are not just technical illustrations but powerful tools influencing global perception. “Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions,” Dussey stated.
The resolution advocates for wider use of the Equal Earth projection and other equal-area maps, which allow for accurate comparison of the relative sizes of continents and countries. It criticizes traditional maps for contributing to the “symbolic minimization” of Africa and other regions in the global collective imagination. “A fair map does not change the geography of the world; it changes how we see the world,” he added, underscoring that “a fair world begins with a fair map.”
The Equal Earth projection, created in 2018, aims to maintain the relative area of countries and continents, thereby presenting Africa much closer to its actual scale. Unlike the Mercator projection, equal-area maps do not artificially enlarge territories near the poles, providing a more accurate representation of Africa.
While the United States rejected the initiative, arguing for the General Assembly to focus on more pressing global challenges, France supported the resolution and announced plans to transition away from Mercator maps in its official world representations. This shift would also make northern countries like France, the United States, and Russia appear smaller relative to equatorial countries than on traditional Mercator maps.