United Nations Backs Resolution for New World Map to Show Africa’s Accurate Size

The United Nations has voted to adopt a proposal for a new global map that portrays the actual landmass of African countries, a move aimed at correcting decades of cartographic distortion.

For years, traditional projections like the Mercator map have made regions near the equator appear smaller than they really are. As a result, Africa, which spans over 30 million square kilometers, has often been shown as comparable in size to countries like Greenland or the United States, despite being far larger.

Proponents of the resolution argued that accurate representation matters beyond geography. They said the way continents are depicted influences education, trade perceptions, and how people understand global balance. Showing Africa at its true scale, they noted, helps address a long-standing visual misrepresentation in classrooms, media, and policy documents.

The vote signals growing support for map projections such as the Gall-Peters and Equal Earth, which prioritize accurate area over shape. Advocates say these projections give a fairer visual of the world and ensure that Africa’s size, population, and resources are reflected more appropriately.

The UN said the new standard will be encouraged for use in educational materials, official publications, and international presentations. Member states backing the decision described it as a step toward more equitable representation of all regions on the world stage.