UN backs new equal-area world map, but India, Japan and Ukraine raise territorial worries

In a landmark vote, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution promoting the Equal Earth equal-area map, which more accurately reflects the true size of continents compared with the traditional Mercator projection. The measure passed with 164 affirmative votes, while six countries abstained and the United States voted against it. Although the resolution does not require replacing existing maps, it encourages nations to adopt the new projection.

Following the vote, India, Japan and Ukraine expressed reservations: Ukraine objected to the lighter shade used for Crimea, fearing it could blur the distinction from Russian territory; Japan requested changes because the map uses the same colour for Russian land and the disputed Kuril Islands; India issued a statement insisting that any depiction of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh must match its official map. These concerns highlight how cartographic choices intersect with sensitive geopolitical disputes.