UN General Assembly votes 164 to 1 to shift away from Mercator world map
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution backed by African nations to promote equal-area world maps in schools and institutions over the 1569 Mercator projection.
General Assembly vote
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on 4 September 2026 recommending a transition away from the 16th-century Mercator projection in classrooms, atlases, and official publications. Sponsored by Togo on behalf of the African Union, the non-binding measure promotes alternative representations that accurately depict continental landmasses, specifically the 2018 Equal Earth projection. The measure passed with 164 votes in favour, six abstentions, and one vote against cast by the United States. Ukraine was among the six member states that abstained from the vote. United States delegates opposed the measure, describing the resolution as an unnecessary ideological distraction from matters of international peace and prosperity.
- In favour
- 164
- Abstentions
- 6
- Against
- 1
Cartographic distortions and navigation
Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator developed his cylindrical projection in 1569 to assist maritime navigation by preserving compass bearings along straight lines. While effective for nautical charts, the projection expands land areas near the poles and compresses regions around the equator. On a Mercator map, Greenland appears roughly equal in size to Africa, even though the African continent is approximately 14 times larger. Sourced materials note that Africa's true landmass can encompass China, India, Japan, Mexico, the United States, and parts of Europe combined. The resolution clarifies that it does not restrict the use of Mercator charts in maritime or aerial navigation, where the format remains functional.
A map is never neutral. It shapes perceptions, influences how the place of peoples and continents in the world is understood.
African Union campaign and next steps
The diplomatic initiative grew out of the Correct the Map campaign, which received backing from African Union members in August 2025 before the 54-member bloc formally adopted the Equal Earth projection in February 2026. Cartographers Bernhard Jenny, Tom Patterson, and Bojan Šavrič designed the Equal Earth model in 2018 to preserve true area proportions without severing continental boundaries. Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated that Togo plans to replace Mercator maps across its national school system by the end of the year. Lomé also intends to convene meetings with African Union member states and international partners within six months to coordinate with digital mapping and GPS technology providers.
- Gerardus Mercator designs the Mercator cylindrical map projection.
- Cartographers Bernhard Jenny, Tom Patterson, and Bojan Šavrič create the Equal Earth projection.
- African Union members endorse the Correct the Map campaign.
- African Union formally adopts the Equal Earth projection.
- UN General Assembly passes resolution backing equal-area world maps.
International reception and scientific debate
European governments supported the resolution, with France and the United Kingdom voting alongside the 164-nation majority. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot indicated that France supports geographic accuracy in educational materials, noting that Paris will use the Eckert IV projection. Cartography experts noted that projecting a three-dimensional globe onto a two-dimensional flat plane inherently creates geometric distortions. Dussey maintained that the push for proportional map projections addresses educational accuracy and scientific integrity rather than territorial boundaries.
A fair world begins with a fair map.
