05/09/2026
The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional world map with one that more accurately reflects the size of Africa. The "Correct the Map" resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union (AU) members, passed with the support of 164 nations, including France and the UK. The United States was the only nation to vote against it, while six countries abstained.
The UN vote is non-binding, but it will encourage governments and institutions to stop using the traditional Mercator map. The Mercator map, which has been in common use since the 16th Century, has come in for criticism as it shows Africa as similar in size to Greenland, even though it is 14 times larger. Critics say this leads to the development needs and potential for countries near the equator to be minimised.