The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution promoting a more accurate map of the world, moving away from centuries of reliance on the distorted Mercator projection. The measure passed with 164 votes in favor, one against from the United States, and six abstentions.
The resolution was put forward by Togo and the African Union and was backed by European Union member states, according to the report. It calls for wider use of mapping methods that better reflect the true size of countries and continents.
Why the Mercator map distorts the world
Most people are familiar with the standard image of the world map, based on the Mercator projection devised by cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. The projection has shaped how generations have visualized the globe, but it does not accurately represent the true size of landmasses.
One of the most cited errors is the depiction of Greenland as nearly the same size as Africa, even though Africa is actually about 14 times larger. Countries such as Russia, China, the United States and Canada also appear larger on the Mercator map than they are in reality.
Not legally binding
Togo clarified that the resolution does not ban the use of Mercator maps and carries no legal obligation, since it is not legally binding. However, Togo said it intends to press governments, schools, international organizations and technology companies to adopt the more accurate mapping approach.
Background on the vote
The General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the United Nations, where all member states have a vote on resolutions covering global issues. While such resolutions do not carry the force of law, they can carry significant diplomatic and symbolic weight, and often shape policy over time as institutions and governments choose to follow them.
The push for a fairer map reflects a longstanding argument, particularly from African nations, that the Mercator projection has visually diminished the continent's true scale for more than 450 years.
What happens next
Togo said it would now work to encourage adoption of the new mapping standard across education systems, government bodies, international organizations and the tech sector, though use of the traditional Mercator map will remain permitted.
