UN backs Equal Earth map projection in rebuke to Mercator distortion
The non-binding resolution encourages schools, institutions and technology companies to consider a map that represents land areas more proportionally.
The United Nations General Assembly has voted 164-1 for a non-binding resolution encouraging wider use of the Equal Earth map projection as an alternative to Mercator. Six countries abstained, while the United States voted against.
Led by Togo on behalf of the African Group and backed by the African Union, the resolution urges schools, institutions and technology companies to consider Equal Earth for maps and other educational or digital uses. It does not ban Mercator or impose a replacement.
The campaign centres on the way Mercator represents land areas. The projection preserves angles and straight bearings, but makes regions farther from the Equator appear larger. Greenland can appear similar in size to Africa, despite Africa being about 14 times larger.
Equal Earth makes a different trade-off, preserving relative area more accurately while slightly bending continental outlines. The African Union adopted the projection in March.
The United States representative, Yaryna Ferencevych, described the initiative as a “radical ideological project” and said the debate was contributing to the institution’s loss of credibility. Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine abstained.
Togo plans to hold a meeting in Lomé early next year with UNESCO, the African Union and technology companies including Google to discuss how broader implementation could work. Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps influence education, imagination and collective perception.
