World Map
The African Union has endorsed a campaign to replace the 16th-century Mercator world map with the Equal Earth projection, which accurately shows Africa’s size. The Mercator map distorts continent sizes, making Africa appear smaller than it is, while enlarging regions near the poles like North America and Greenland. This distortion has long misrepresented Africa, the world’s second-largest continent, home to 54 nations and over 1.4 billion people.
The AU’s support for the “Correct The Map” campaign, led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, aims to ensure governments, schools, and international organizations adopt maps that accurately reflect the continent’s vast scale and global significance. Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, described the Mercator map as “the world’s longest misinformation and disinformation campaign,” urging its replacement to restore fairness in global representation.
The Mercator projection’s distortion perpetuates harmful stereotypes, influencing media, education, and policy. AU Commission Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi emphasized that the map fosters a false impression of Africa as “marginal” despite its immense geographical and cultural weight. The AU’s support aligns with its broader mission to reclaim Africa’s rightful place on the global stage, amid growing calls for reparations for colonialism and slavery.
The World Bank has already adopted the Equal Earth or Winkel-Tripel projections for static maps and is phasing out Mercator on web platforms. The campaign has submitted a request to the UN’s geospatial body, UN-GGIM, for review. The Caribbean Community Reparations Commission has endorsed the initiative, framing it as a rejection of the Mercator’s “ideology of power and dominance”.
Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, hopes to introduce the Equal Earth projection as the standard in African classrooms and global institutions. The AU will advocate for wider map adoption and discuss collective actions with member states. By promoting a more accurate representation of Africa’s size, the continent aims to reclaim its narrative power and reshape global perceptions of its vital role in the world.
Source – The Cable
