UN backs Equal Earth map as fairer alternative to Mercator projection
The United Nations adopted a non-binding resolution endorsing the Equal Earth projection, which reduces size distortion of continents compared with the widely used Mercator map.
A recent UN General Assembly vote passed a non-binding resolution supporting the Equal Earth projection, a map that better reflects the true area of landmasses, especially Africa. Experts Jack Swab and Derek Alderman note that while the Mercator projection distorts sizes up to fourteenfold near the poles, it remains essential for compass-based navigation, which is why services like Google Maps and Apple Maps still rely on it.
The UN endorsement is symbolic; widespread use will require deliberate updates to educational materials, atlases and diplomatic graphics, which involve cost and effort. A few nations abstained or voted no, citing issues such as the depiction of contested territories rather than the map’s merits. Resistance to the new projection has been limited, and the change hinges on voluntary adoption by cartographic communities and institutions.
