UN adopts resolution for more accurate maps

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on September 4 encouraging the use of maps that more accurately reflect the true sizes of continents. Backed by Togo and the African Union, the resolution received 164 votes in favor, one against from the United States, and six abstentions. It promotes the "Equal Earth" projection, which shows Africa in its correct proportions.

Mercator maps distort sizes

On traditional Mercator maps, Africa appears much smaller than it is, with Greenland seeming nearly as large as Africa. In reality, Africa is 14 times larger. Europe, Russia, and North America also appear oversized. This distortion is not intentional but results from the challenge of representing a spherical Earth on a flat surface, which alters areas, shapes, distances, or directions.

Mercator projection's purpose

The Mercator projection, created in 1569 by the Flemish cartographer Mercator, was designed to help navigators by preserving local angles and allowing straight-line representation of constant headings. However, it enlarges areas as one moves away from the equator, distorting the size of regions near the poles.

Equal Earth's goals

The Equal Earth projection aims to preserve the relative sizes of countries and continents, ensuring a territory twice as large occupies twice the area on the map. This projection seeks to correct a visual imbalance that historically exaggerated the importance of the North and minimized that of Africa. However, it distorts shapes, angles, distances, and directions, particularly at the edges of the map, making it less suitable for navigation.

UN resolution seen as symbolic

The adoption of the Equal Earth projection by the UN has been interpreted as a form of postcolonial or "decolonial" retribution. The United States opposed the resolution, viewing it as a means to advance reparations and "cognitive justice," a theory that Western science is not inherently superior to other forms of knowledge. Some commentators argue that the resolution may encourage African leaders to focus on complaints against foreign powers rather than improving their economies and citizens' living standards.

Map controversies arise

The Equal Earth projection does not alter political boundaries, but a website created by one of its developers added national borders and color-coded territories, sometimes hastily, leading to new tensions. Ukraine, which abstained from the UN vote, filed a complaint because Crimea, occupied by Russia since 2014, was shown in a different color from the rest of Ukraine.

Geographical name changes

The renaming of geographical names has also been linked to Donald Trump's territorial ambitions. In January 2025, Trump decreed that the Gulf of Mexico would be called the "Gulf of America," and federal maps and some digital location services adopted the change. The National Maritime Museum of the Gulf of Mexico was forced to shorten its name to avoid financial loss.

Map as a political tool

In September, Trump stirred controversy by posting a map on his platform, Truth Social, showing an American flag covering not only the United States but also Panama, Mexico, the Caribbean, Canada, Greenland, and Iceland. The Icelandic government protested, summoning the U.S. ambassador. The post reflected a strategic doctrine called "hemispheric defense," which asserts that U.S. security depends on military presence in these territories.

Map errors draw attention

In July, during the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, a presentation by the U.S. Department of State incorrectly placed several African countries in geographical locations that did not match their actual positions. The map, hastily prepared with the help of OpenAI, was described as an "unfortunate error" by U.S. authorities and was quickly corrected. The incident highlighted the idea that maps are not the territory itself and that territorial battles also occur on maps.