The U.N. backs a new world map showing Africa in its true relative size
The U.N. has backed a new map showing Africa in its true relative size, with the U.S. standing alone in opposition.
7 sourcesHeat 7.7Updated 4h ago
UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size
7 articles from NPR World, BBC News, France 24, Euronews and 3 more.
News Clarion synthesisAcross 7 sources
The United Nations voted to adopt a new world map using the Equal Earth projection to more accurately reflect the true size of continents, particularly Africa, which appears significantly smaller on the traditional Mercator projection from the 16th century. The Togo-sponsored resolution passed with 164 nations in favor, with the United States as the sole nation voting against it. The shift is intended to counter perceptions that Africa is peripheral and to provide more accurate cartographic representation, with the new map showing Africa and other continents closer to their actual proportions compared to the Mercator projection.
AI-generated summary of 7 source articles. Not original reporting — every claim links to its source below.
How outlets framed it
3 anglesUS opposition to the resolution
NPR World and BBC News lead by emphasizing that the United States stood alone in voting against the measure, framing US exceptionalism as the notable political outcome.
NPR World · BBC News
Mercator projection as misleading legacy
France 24 and Euronews foreground the history and problems of the 16th-century Mercator projection, treating the vote as part of a broader shift away from an outdated cartographic standard.
France 24 · Euronews
Winners and losers by continent
Times of India and Japan Times emphasize the relative size changes created by the new map, highlighting which regions appear larger or smaller rather than the political or historical dimensions of the change.
Times of India · Japan Times
AI analysis of how 7 publishers framed this story, based on their headlines and summaries. A description of the coverage, not a judgement of any outlet.
Full coverage
UN votes to adopt new world map to reflect Africa's true size
The Togo-sponsored resolution was backed by 164 nations - the US the only nation to vote against it.
UN approves resolution in support of map that shows Africa's true size
The United Nations on Friday voted for a shift away from the 16th-century Mercator global map towards one more accurately reflecting countries' true size, a resolution sponsored by African states to counter perceptions that the continent is peripheral.
Paris drops Mercator projection: France now looks smaller on world maps
France is redrawing its world map: deeming the Mercator projection misleading, the foreign ministry will drop it in favour of a map that better reflects actual continental sizes, especially Africa.
UN approves new map showing Africa’s true size
The UN General Assembly has backed a resolution to change to maps that more accurately show the true size of Africa.
Africa bigger and U.S. smaller: U.N. adopts new map
The new map — known as the Equal Earth cartographic projection — improves "the accuracy of the cartographic representation of the world," the resolution said.
