African Union Fights to Correct Centuries of Map Distortion That Shrinks Africa
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📰 The quick summary: The African Union is backing a campaign to replace the distorted Mercator world map with the Equal Earth projection that accurately shows Africa’s true size, helping to correct centuries of geographical misrepresentation.
📈 One key stat: Africa is the world’s second-largest continent by area with more than 1 billion people, yet appears smaller on commonly used maps due to the Mercator projection’s distortion.
💬 One key quote: “It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not. The Mercator fostered a false impression that Africa was marginal, despite being the world’s second-largest continent by area, with more than 1 billion people.”
1️⃣ The big picture: The African Union has officially endorsed a campaign to replace the 16th-century Mercator map with the more accurate Equal Earth projection. The Mercator projection, though created for navigation purposes, significantly distorts landmass sizes – enlarging areas near the poles while shrinking regions like Africa and South America. Led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, the Correct the Map campaign aims to change how Africa is represented globally. This distortion isn’t just a cartographic issue but has profound implications for how people perceive the continent’s importance, influencing education, media coverage, and global policy.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Adopting accurate maps addresses centuries of geographical misrepresentation that has shaped how people view Africa’s significance in the world. The Equal Earth projection developed in 2018 offers a solution that correctly represents landmass sizes without privileging certain regions. Educational initiatives are already underway to promote this map in African classrooms, helping reshape younger generations’ geographical understanding. The growing support from organizations like the World Bank, which is phasing out Mercator projections, signals meaningful progress toward global recognition of Africa’s true size. This movement represents a broader shift toward decolonizing knowledge systems and correcting historical inaccuracies that have marginalized entire continents.
3️⃣ What’s next: The African Union will advocate for wider adoption of the Equal Earth map and discuss collective action with member states. Campaign organizers are reaching out to major international organizations like the UN to adopt the accurate projection. Google has already implemented some changes, switching from Mercator to a 3D globe view on desktop in 2018, though mobile users still see the distorted version by default.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – African Union joins call for true-to-size world map to replace Mercator version
