New York – The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution presented by the African Group, which calls for increasing the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world, correcting the distortion of the dimensions of the continents and restoring the balance in the representation of geographical regions, especially Africa.
The resolution was supported by 164 countries, with one vote against, the United States of America, and six countries abstained: Estonia, Moldova, Ukraine, Lithuania, Serbia and Georgia.
The draft resolution was introduced on behalf of the African Group by Togo’s foreign minister, Robert Ducey, after his country negotiated it, as part of a campaign of support by the African Union.
Ducey said the initiative is not intended to condemn the Mercator projection, which is widely used and plays an important role in navigation, nor to impose a single cartographic projection on countries and institutions.
He added in a press statement: “A fair map doesn’t change the geography of the world, it changes the way we see it.”
The General Assembly pointed out in its resolution that the distortion of the dimensions of the continents, caused by the use of some cartographic projections that have emerged historically, does not have a limited impact on the geographical side, but extends to the cognitive, educational, cultural, geopolitical, social and economic spheres.
The decision considered that correcting these distortions could contribute to the promotion of recognition, justice and development, especially in relation to the African continent, whose size on some maps appears to be smaller than its true area compared to other continents and regions.
The resolution does not prohibit the use of the Mercator projection, nor does it require the adoption of a specific alternative projection, but encourages governments, educational institutions, international organizations and technology companies to use isoarea projections when the relative size of geographic areas is an important factor in map display.
It urges users to be aware of the limitations of flat maps of the planet Earth as a spherical body, and the distortion of shape, area or distance caused by converting its surface to a flat map, depending on the type of projection used.
The decision explained that the Mercator projection, which is widely used globally, causes a relative distortion in the representation of areas of regions far from the equator, as some continental masses appear larger than their actual size, while Africa and other regions are relatively small in comparison.
In contrast, the decision noted that the “flat land projection” provides a more accurate representation of the actual areas of land masses and continents and may be an appropriate option when preserving the true proportions of the area is a priority in map display.
The General Assembly emphasized the importance of promoting the use of cartographic imagery with greater accuracy and scientific integrity and called on Member States, international organizations and interested parties to adopt, publish and use equal-area projections that would allow a closer representation of the actual areas of the continents.
On the other hand, the United States of America voted against the decision, believing that the initiative goes beyond the technical aspect related to maps and, according to its position, carries political and ideological dimensions.
The US delegate said the decision “makes a mockery of the work and aims of this institution”, given that presenting the initiative as an attempt to modernize cartographic proportions obscures a wider project in Washington’s eyes.
The US delegate criticized the resolution’s references to issues such as compensation and “cognitive justice”, believing that such initiatives are an “obstacle to work” at the United Nations and contribute to the institution’s loss of credibility.
