A United Nations resolution on 4 Sept. 2006 adopted a new world map that drew ire from Washington, as it shows the African continent bigger and North America and Europe shrinking. The vote was supported by 164 countries, while the United States voted against it and six other states abstained.

African Union countries, led by Togo, moved the resolution, “Correct the Map,” aiming to address a colonial-era injustice that has visually shrunk Africa for 450 years, shaping how the continent is perceived in media, education, and policy around the world.

The new map — known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection — improves “the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world” by seeking “a more accurate representation” of continental landmasses, the resolution said.

The UN General Assembly took this major step toward correcting distortions in commonly used world maps, particularly the Mercator projection, which misrepresents the relative size of continents and makes Africa and other equatorial regions appear smaller than they are. The resolution called on countries and international organizations to adopt more accurate map projections for representing areas and to gradually move away from the Mercator projection, which has remained one of the most widely used mapping systems for centuries.

Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator developed the projection in 1569 to meet a practical need in maritime navigation. It represents straight lines on a map as corresponding to compass directions, making it easier for sailors to plot their courses. However, this advantage came at the expense of accurately representing land areas, as regions near the poles appear significantly larger than they actually are.

The effects of this distortion are particularly evident in the representation of Africa. Under the Mercator projection, Africa appears similar in size to Greenland, even though Africa is approximately 14 times larger. African countries argue that this distortion is not merely a technical issue, but has contributed over decades to the “symbolic shrinking” of Africa and reinforced an imbalanced image of the world in the collective imagination.

Foreign Minister Robert Dussey of Togo said, “Maps shape our understanding of the world.” They “guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions,” he said.

The minister said that presenting a distorted image of the world can reinforce perceptions that are passed down from one generation to the next. He stressed that the initiative is not directed against any particular country or civilization, but rather seeks to promote knowledge based on scientific accuracy and equal dignity among peoples.

Meanwhile, France officially announced that it would stop using the Mercator projection to represent the world map, making it one of the most prominent countries to join the initiative led by African Union states. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that the need to represent the world accurately begins with the way it is mapped, noting that cartographic distortions become embedded in people’s perceptions and that the time has come to correct them.

France is moving toward adopting the Eckert IV projection, which represents areas around the equator—including Africa, Latin America, and South Asia—in proportions closer to reality, while reducing the apparent size of regions at higher latitudes, such as Europe, the United States, and Russia. This projection is similar to the equal-area projection recommended by the Togolese initiative submitted to the United Nations, although France has not adopted that exact projection.

The United States slammed the resolution. “Instead of focusing on genuine problems… this body is debating map projects from the 16th century and their role in promoting reparations and cognitive justice,” US representative Yaryna Ferencevych said ahead of the vote.

The initiative to revise world maps originated in Togo, which the African Union tasked in April 2025 with advocating for the project. It received the backing of all 55 African countries. The “Correct the Map” campaign was launched in 2024 to reconsider how the world is represented, based on the premise that maps are not merely neutral technical tools, but also influence how people perceive themselves and their place in the world.

The campaign is also linked to a broader debate in Africa concerning the continent’s colonial legacy and unequal forms of representation. Although the final wording of the resolution toned down direct references to historical grievances and colonialism, the text maintains that cartographic distortions have contributed to diminishing Africa’s symbolic significance in the collective imagination and systems of recognition.

The UN resolution is expected to encourage UN agencies, educational institutions, and others to adopt more accurate projections gradually. This could affect the maps used in school textbooks, international reports, media content, and digital materials.

Nevertheless, the Mercator projection is likely to remain widely used, as there is no geometric method of representing the spherical surface of the Earth on a flat map without introducing some degree of distortion.

Correcting this map anomaly is not just a technical issue, but it reflects a broader debate about how we represent and understand the world. For African countries, correcting geographical proportions can become part of a wider effort to address imbalances that traditional world maps have entrenched in the collective consciousness.