The United Nations made a significant decision on Friday to move away from the traditional Mercator global map, which dates back to the 16th century, in favor of a more accurate representation of countries’ actual sizes. This resolution, backed by African nations, aims to address the misconception that Africa is on the periphery of global importance.
Togo spearheaded the effort to support the African Union’s initiative to reduce the use of the Mercator map, known for distorting the size of land masses by exaggerating those closer to the poles. For instance, it portrays Greenland as being nearly equal in size to Africa, despite Africa’s being approximately 14 times larger.
Togo’s Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, emphasized the importance of a fair map, stating that “a fair world begins with a fair map.” The resolution endorses the Equal Earth projection, a more precise representation of continent sizes.
While the resolution passed in the UN General Assembly with a vote of 164 to one and six abstentions, the United States stood as the only country against it. The US argued that the resolution pushes an ideological agenda and diverts attention from genuine international issues.
Despite the Mercator map’s widespread use in classrooms, Togo intends to update its school geography materials by the end of the year, becoming the first country to do so. Dussey expressed Togo’s commitment to setting an example for all nations by making this change in the classroom.
Togo aims to encourage other governments, schools, international bodies, and technology firms to transition away from the outdated Mercator projection in favor of the Equal Earth projection, which provides a more accurate depiction of the world. Dussey emphasized that Equal Earth offers the best perception of the globe.
In the upcoming months, Togo plans to convene with African Union members and supporters from various regions to formulate strategies for broader adoption of the Equal Earth projection. Dussey stressed the importance of involving companies specializing in mapping, GPS, and location-based technologies in these discussions.
Dussey connected the campaign for adopting the new map to broader African initiatives aimed at addressing colonial-era legacies. He clarified that the objective is not to target Europe or any other civilization but rather to acknowledge the evolving nature of the world and Africa’s changing role within it.
