The United Nations recently voted to move away from the traditional Mercator global map, which distorts the size of countries, especially Africa. This change, promoted by African nations, aims to provide a more accurate representation of the true size of countries on the planet.
Togo spearheaded the initiative to support the African Union’s campaign against the Mercator map, which exaggerates landmasses closer to the poles. The Mercator projection makes Greenland seem as large as Africa, even though Africa is significantly larger.
Togo’s Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, emphasized the importance of having a fair map, stating that a fair world starts with an accurate representation of countries. The resolution endorsed the Equal Earth projection as a more precise way to depict the size of continents.
The resolution, which was passed in the UN General Assembly with overwhelming support, aims to encourage the use of the Equal Earth projection while not opposing the Mercator projection for maritime and aerial navigation.
Although the United States was the sole dissenting vote, criticizing the resolution for promoting an ideological agenda, Togo remains committed to implementing changes in its school curriculum by the end of the year. Togo plans to set an example by being the first country to update its geography materials to reflect a more accurate world map.
Togo intends to advocate for the adoption of the Equal Earth projection by other nations, schools, international organizations, and technology companies. Dussey highlighted the importance of embracing a more accurate representation of the world and emphasized the need to move away from outdated mapping practices.
In the coming months, Togo will engage with African Union member states and global supporters to encourage broader adoption of the Equal Earth projection. Dussey emphasized that this campaign aligns with broader African initiatives to address colonial-era legacies and is not intended as an attack on any particular civilization.
The shift away from the Mercator map symbolizes a changing world, with Africa asserting its place and advocating for a more equitable representation on the global stage.