The United Nations General Assembly has voted to adopt a new world map, known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection, which makes Africa appear larger and North America smaller compared to the traditional Mercator projection. The motion was carried by 164 countries, with six abstaining and the US voting against it. The resolution aims to provide a more accurate representation of continental landmasses, with the new map preserving the relative surface areas of continents. The US criticized the move as "the reason this institution is losing its credibility".
Written by the local model on 2026-09-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 4, the United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt a new world map that more accurately reflects the size of Africa and other continents. The resolution, sponsored by several African countries, including Togo, passed with the support of 164 countries and was opposed only by the United States. The old Mercator projection map had been widely used since the 16th century but had been criticized for distorting the relative size of land masses, making Africa appear smaller than it is. The new Equal Earth cartographic projection more accurately portrays the size of continents, with Africa appearing 14 times larger than Greenland. While the UN resolution is non-binding, it is expected to lead to changes in the maps used by institutions around the world, including schools and technology companies. Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said that maps "guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions" and that a fair map is essential for a fair world.
Written for “UN Adopts New World Map” on 2026-09-05,
grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
The United Nations has voted to adopt a new map, known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection, replacing the Mercator projection maps.
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Nations → vote → maps
The old maps feature several inaccuracies, such as a larger North America, Europe and Greenland against a smaller Africa, Latin America and Oceania.
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maps → feature → Africa
The motion was carried by 164 states, with six abstaining and the US voting against the new maps.
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US → carry → maps
The United Nations General Assembly has voted to back a resolution spearheaded by several African countries to adopt a map that makes their continent bigger while shrinking North America and Europe.
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continent → vote → America
Aimed at "a more accurate representation" of continental landmasses, the resolution was supported by 164 countries while the US voted against it and six other states abstained.
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states → aim → it
The new map — known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection — "is a relevant option for improving the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world", the resolution said.
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resolution → know → world
It urges member states to adopt the new map in place of the traditional Mercator projection, which was designed for maritime navigation by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569.
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which → urge → 1569
Foreign Minister Robert Dussey of Togo, which drove the resolution, said: "[Maps] guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions.
"
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Maps → drive → perceptions
They are therefore never neutral, when they present a distorted image of our planet, they risk perpetuating inaccurate representation that are passed down through generation."
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that → present → generation
The US, however, slammed the resolution, saying such moves are "the reason this institution is losing its credibility".
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institution → slam → credibility
"Instead of focusing on genuine problems … this body is debating map projects from the 16th century and their role in promoting reparations and cognitive justice," US representative Yaryna Ferencevych said ahead of the vote.
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Ferencevych → focus → vote
The Mercator projection focused on accurate depictions of the shapes and angles of land masses, but their relative sizes were often inaccurate, in part due to the challenge of rendering a three-dimensional globe onto a two-dimensional map.
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sizes → focus → map
It inflated northern regions and compressed equatorial ones, making Europe and North America appear much larger, while shrinking Africa and South America.
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Europe → inflate → Africa
A group of cartographers launched the Equal Earth projection in 2018.
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group → launch → 2018
It makes Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania appear much larger.
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Africa → make → ?
"Equal Earth preserves the relative surface areas of continents and, as much as possible, shows their shapes as they appear on a globe," one of the cartographers, Bojan Savric, told AFP in 2025.
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one → preserve → 2025
France — which co-sponsored the resolution in support of the new map — announced Friday that it would abandon the Mercator projection.
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it → co → projection
"[In that map] the United States, Russia and China take on a disproportionate visual prominence compared to Africa, Latin America or south-east Asia, [while] Greenland appears almost as big as Africa," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.
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Barrot → take → Africa
"Changing maps obviously doesn't change the world.
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Changing → change → world
"But correcting a distorted representation is already an act of truth."
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correcting → correct → truth
The initiative comes as France is seeking to improve relations with Africa, particularly in former colonies with which it has prickly ties.
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it → come → ties
