UN adopts “Correct the Map” resolution, US votes against
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Initiative promotes Equal Earth over Mercator projection.
- US casts only vote against resolution.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution on Friday encouraging the global use of world maps that more accurately reflect the true relative sizes of countries and continents.
Titled “Correct the Map,” the measure promotes the Equal Earth projection over the traditional Mercator projection.
The initiative follows a campaign led by African nations seeking to rectify long-standing cartographic distortions that disproportionately shrink equatorial landmasses.
The resolution passed by a margin of 164 votes in favor to 1 against, with six countries—Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine—abstaining.
Togo sponsored the measure on behalf of African Union members, with co-sponsorship from the Bahamas.
Mercator projection distortions
Created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator for maritime navigation, the Mercator projection preserves shapes and directions but significantly expands landmasses near the poles while shrinking those near the equator.
On traditional Mercator maps, Greenland appears roughly equal in size to Africa, despite the African continent being approximately 14 times larger.
Critics have long argued that this visual minimization has systematically downplayed Africa’s scale and global significance across education, public media, and international consciousness.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey lauded the passage of the resolution as a major milestone.
"THE WORLD HAS CHOSEN TO CORRECT THE MAP," Dussey stated on X. "For too long, inherited cartographic representations have distorted our perception of the true size and place of Africa and other regions of the world. Correcting the map means correcting the way we see the world."
HISTORIC MOMENT: THE WORLD HAS CHOSEN TO CORRECT THE MAP
— Robert Dussey (@rdussey) September 4, 2026
Today, the United Nations has taken a historic step with the adoption of the “Correct the Map” Resolution.
This decision is about much more than cartography. It is about justice, dignity, equality and the way we represent… pic.twitter.com/4fqF4wAj5n
The African Union welcomed the vote as a "historic step" toward accurate global cartographic representation, reiterating that maps heavily shape collective perceptions and educational frameworks.
US casts sole dissenting vote
The United States stood alone in opposing the resolution, issuing sharp criticism of the General Assembly debate.
US representative Yaryna Ferencevych argued that such debates are "the reason this institution is losing its credibility," stating that the UN should focus on genuine global challenges rather than debating a 16th-century map.
Washington characterized the resolution as part of a "radical ideological project" encompassing topics such as reparations and "cognitive justice," calling it a distraction from genuine problems of international peace, prosperity, or good relations.
Developed in 2018, the Equal Earth projection preserves relative surface area while approximating recognizable shapes.
The resolution does not ban the Mercator map—which remains useful for navigation—nor does it mandate replacements. Instead, it frames the shift toward equal-area maps as an act of "cognitive justice and memorial reparation," encouraging adoption by governments, schools, international organizations, and technology companies.
Following the vote, France announced it would abandon the Mercator projection in favor of more accurate representations.
