Togo will ask United Nations member states to adopt a world map that more accurately reflects the true size of Africa and ditch the 16th-century Mercator projection, its foreign minister said.
Critics say the Mercator projection, which makes Greenland appear as big as Africa when in reality the continent is about 14 times larger, reinforces perceptions of Africa’s marginality despite its vast size and population, shaping narratives in media, education and policy.
‘Correct The Map’ campaign
The African Union has tasked Togo with promoting a ‘Correct The Map’ campaign to end the use of the Mercator map by governments and international organisations.
The campaign, led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, calls for adoption of the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which tries to reflect countries’ true sizes.
Created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator for navigation, the Mercator projection distorts continent sizes, enlarging areas near the poles like North America and Greenland while shrinking Africa and South America.
“The size we see of the African continent on the globe… is geographically inaccurate,” Togo Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said in an interview with Reuters on Monday, calling for “scientific truth.”
The Mercator projection is still widely used, including by schools and tech companies worldwide.
“Accurate representation is not just about maps – it is about agency, progress, and ensuring the world sees Africa as it truly is,” said Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter.
UN draft resolution being prepared
Earlier this year, the AU adopted a resolution promoting the Equal Earth projection and encouraging its 55 member states to move away from the Mercator projection.
“The institutional challenge is to have a resolution passed by the United Nations General Assembly to validate this map,” Dussey said. “It goes without saying that African countries are already receptive to this initiative.”
Dussey said a draft resolution is being prepared, with a vote likely at the next UNGA in September. How countries vote would reveal their “true colours”, he said.
The U.N. adopted last month an Africa-led resolution recognising slavery as the “gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations. All EU countries and Britain abstained, while the United States, Israel and Argentina voted against it.
- Togo is urging UN member states to replace the Mercator map with a more accurate world map that properly represents Africa’s size, such as the 2018 Equal Earth projection.
- The Mercator projection drastically distorts continent sizes, making Greenland appear comparable in size to Africa, which is actually about 14 times larger, reinforcing misconceptions about Africa’s importance.
- The African Union has appointed Togo to lead the 'Correct The Map' campaign, supported by advocacy groups like Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, to promote this change globally.
- A UN draft resolution promoting the Equal Earth map is being prepared for a vote at the upcoming UN General Assembly, with African countries showing strong support for the initiative.
- Advocates argue that accurate map representation impacts global perceptions of Africa’s agency, progress, and influence, extending beyond geography into education, media, and policy.
Togo will ask United Nations member states to adopt a world map that more accurately reflects the true size of Africa and ditch the 16th-century Mercator projection, its foreign minister said.
Critics say the Mercator projection, which makes
Created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator for navigation, the Mercator projection distorts continent sizes, enlarging areas near the poles like
"
"Accurate representation is not just about maps - it is about agency, progress, and ensuring the world sees Africa as it truly is," said Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter.
Earlier this year, the AU adopted a resolution promoting the Equal
"
Dussey said a draft resolution is being prepared, with a vote likely at the next UNGA in
