UN General Assembly urges end to distorted Africa maps

The United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to adopt a resolution urging governments, educational institutions and technology firms to discontinue the use of map projections that significantly reduce the apparent size of the African continent. The measure, backed by a broad coalition of member states, calls for the replacement of traditional Mercator‑type maps with equal‑area or other more geographically accurate representations in official publications, school curricula and digital platforms worldwide.

In its statement, the Assembly highlighted that the persistent use of distorted maps perpetuates misconceptions about Africa’s scale and can influence public perception and policy decisions. The resolution asks national authorities to review cartographic standards, encourages publishers to update atlases and online services, and invites the private sector to incorporate proportionally correct depictions into mapping software. By promoting more accurate visualizations, the UN aims to foster a better-informed global audience and support efforts to address historical biases in geographic education.