African Union urges adoption of world map showing continent’s true size
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The African Union calls for replacing the Mercator projection with a more accurate map to restore Africa’s true size and global standing.
African Union Backs Global Campaign to Show Africa’s True Size on World Maps
The African Union (AU) has thrown its support behind a campaign urging governments and global organisations to stop using the 16th-century Mercator projection a map that significantly distorts the size of continents. Instead, the AU advocates for adopting more accurate representations, such as the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which better reflects Africa’s actual dimensions.
Origins of the Mercator Map
The Mercator projection, created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator in the 1500s, was designed for navigation rather than accurate geography. While it benefits sailors, the projection inflates land masses near the poles, making regions like North America and Greenland appear much larger, while shrinking Africa and South America.
‘World’s Longest Disinformation Campaign’
Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, criticised the Mercator map as “the world’s longest misinformation and disinformation campaign”, arguing that it diminishes Africa’s global stature and must be abandoned.
Impact on African Identity
Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, highlighted the projection’s psychological impact, especially on African children seeing it in school. She said the goal is to make the Equal Earth projection the standard in African classrooms and to encourage its adoption by global institutions.
AU’s Vision for Representation
According to AU spokesperson Haddadi, endorsing the “Correct The Map” campaign aligns with the union’s mission of reclaiming Africa’s rightful place on the global stage, particularly in the context of ongoing discussions about reparations for colonialism and slavery.
Lobbying for Global Adoption
The AU plans to engage with its member states to coordinate advocacy for the Equal Earth map. The campaign is also targeting international bodies like the World Bank and United Nations. The World Bank says it is already phasing out Mercator for static maps, while the UN geospatial committee will review the proposal upon receipt.
Regional Support Beyond Africa
The push is gaining traction outside Africa, with Dorbrene O’Marde, Vice Chair of the CARICOM Reparations Commission, calling the Equal Earth projection a rejection of the Mercator’s “ideology of power and dominance”.
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