United Nations, September 6 (Daily Kiran) : The United Nations General Assembly has taken a significant step towards accurately depicting the true sizes of continents and countries on world maps. On September 6, the assembly supported the adoption of the ‘Equal Earth Projection’ map, which aims to replace the commonly used ‘Mercator Projection’.
This proposal, backed by India, received 164 votes in favor, with the United States being the sole country to oppose it. Six nations abstained from the vote. The Mercator Projection, named after the 16th-century Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, has been widely used for centuries. It was originally designed for maritime navigation during a time when European powers were expanding their colonial empires.
Robert Dussey, Togo’s foreign minister and a key proponent of this change, emphasized that improving maps means acknowledging the need to represent every region of the world fairly and respectfully. The ‘Equal Earth Projection’ presents India’s geographical shape similarly to existing maps, but with a notable difference: the peninsula appears less angular and more spread out compared to the Mercator version.
Conversely, the new map shows a smaller representation of the United States, offering a more accurate comparison with other countries. This visual shift became a sensitive issue during Donald Trump’s presidency, as he frequently discussed territorial claims over regions like Canada and Greenland.
Yariana Ferensevich, the U.S. deputy representative to the UN, criticized the proposal, labeling it part of a broader ideological agenda that undermines the UN’s credibility. In response, Dussey clarified that their perspective is not against any specific country, civilization, or mapping tradition.
He added, “A more equitable map does not change the geographical reality but alters our perception of the world. When our understanding is more just, it fosters better respect, understanding, and peace among nations.”
The Mercator map has been known to exaggerate the size of Russia, while the ‘Equal Earth Projection’ significantly reduces its representation. Nevertheless, Russia supported the proposal, deeming it an anti-colonial measure.
It’s important to note that the General Assembly’s resolution is advisory. There is no obligation for any country or organization to abandon Mercator maps in favor of the Equal Earth version. The European Union, which supported the proposal, clarified that its goal is to enhance education and geographical awareness. Recently, France’s foreign minister announced that the country would stop using Mercator maps, opting for those that better reflect the Earth’s actual surface area.
The distortions in Mercator maps are evident; for instance, Greenland is often depicted as nearly the same size as Africa, despite Africa being approximately 14 times larger. Similarly, Europe is frequently shown as larger than South America, when in reality, South America is about 75% bigger.
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