UN Approves New World Map; US Alone in Opposition
The United Nations approved a new world map today. It shows countries' true relative sizes.
The vote was 164-1 with six abstentions. The United States was the only country against it.
Togo proposed the resolution. The African Union backed it.
The map encourages accurate sizes in schools, atlases, websites and media. It does not require replacing the older Mercator map for navigation.
The new map uses the Equal Earth projection. It shows Africa and other regions in their true sizes.
The United States appears smaller on this map than on older maps. That difference was cited in explanations of the US opposition.
The US called the measure ideological and a distraction. The Mercator map was designed for 16th-century sea travel.
It makes Africa look smaller compared to Europe and North America. Equal Earth shows area more accurately though all flat maps involve trade-offs.
Key Terms 5
- Equal Earth projection A map design showing countries' true sizes compared to each other.
- Mercator projection An older map style that makes areas near the poles look bigger.
- UN General Assembly The main meeting body of the United Nations where all countries vote.
- Togo A country in West Africa that proposed this resolution.
- African Union A group of African countries that work together on shared issues.