UN General Assembly backs maps intended to show Africa’s size more accurately
The UN General Assembly has backed a resolution supporting a change to world maps that more accurately represent Africa’s size. The move responds to concerns that the widely used Mercator projection, which has been in use for centuries, distorts the relative sizes of countries. Supporters say those visual distortions can affect how places are perceived.
The story
The United Nations General Assembly has backed a resolution supporting a move toward world maps that more accurately show the size of Africa, according to Al Jazeera. The report frames the decision as a response to the widely used Mercator world map, a projection that it says has been used for centuries and distorts the sizes of countries. In particular, supporters of the resolution argue that this distortion changes how countries are seen. The reported development is a resolution backed by the General Assembly, rather than evidence in the supplied material that a single replacement map has already been produced or put into use. Al Jazeera’s account does not name a particular alternative projection, describe a technical mapping standard, or set out a timetable for adoption. It also does not specify whether the resolution applies to UN publications alone, to educational materials, or to maps used more broadly. The core verified point is therefore limited but clear: the Assembly has endorsed a change in approach to map representation intended to show Africa’s relative size more accurately. Coverage from The New York Times, BBC and Deutsche Welle, supplied as corroborating links, also identifies the event as a UN decision concerning Africa’s representation on a world map.
Why it matters
World maps are widely used visual tools, so the projection selected can shape viewers’ impressions of relative scale. The stated concern behind the resolution is not merely cartographic: supporters say distortions in the Mercator map affect how countries are perceived. By backing a change, the General Assembly gives formal attention to a representational issue that is often treated as a neutral design choice. However, the supplied reporting does not establish that the resolution itself will alter any particular school curriculum, atlas, digital map, government publication or public display. The concrete consequence currently supported by the evidence is the UN’s endorsement of more accurate visual representation of Africa’s size.
Evidence and context
The dispute described in the reporting concerns map projection: representing a spherical world on a flat map requires choices, and the Mercator projection is reported to distort country sizes. Al Jazeera identifies the Mercator map as both widely used and centuries old, while supporters of the UN resolution say its distortions can alter the way countries are seen. The resolution brings that criticism into a UN General Assembly decision rather than leaving it solely as a technical cartography debate. At the same time, the supplied material does not provide the resolution’s text, vote details, sponsors, or a named replacement projection. It therefore supports reporting on the Assembly’s backing and the stated rationale, but not broader claims about a finalized global mapping standard.
Limits and unknowns
A central limitation is that no flat world map can be assumed from the supplied evidence to provide an uncomplicated, universally “true” representation of every geographic property. The report specifically criticizes how Mercator depicts size, but it does not explain how a replacement map would handle other mapping choices or trade-offs. Nor does the available material say whether the UN resolution is binding, advisory or directed at a defined set of users. It remains unresolved which projection or map design would be used, who would adopt it, and how accuracy would be assessed in practice.
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UN General Assembly backs maps intended to show Africa’s size more accurately
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Highlights
- UN supports new map approach
- Mercator map distorts sizes
- Map distortions influence perceptions
- UN endorses accurate representation
Transcript
The UN General Assembly has backed a resolution to improve how Africa’s size appears on world maps.
This move addresses distortions caused by the centuries-old Mercator projection widely used on maps.
Supporters say these distortions affect perceptions of countries and their relative importance globally.
The resolution formally recognizes the need for more accurate visual representation of Africa’s size.
This decision may guide future map designs, helping reshape understanding of global geography.