The Mercator Misconception: Why Africa’s True Size Matters

The recent UN General Assembly vote to adopt a new map that accurately reflects the size of Africa is more than just a cartographic correction – it’s a long-overdue reckoning with the legacy of colonialism and its ongoing impact on our understanding of the world. For centuries, maps have been used as tools of imperialism, perpetuating distorted representations of global power dynamics and reinforcing the notion that Western nations are the center of the universe.

The Equal Earth projection, which was approved by 164 countries, offers a more accurate representation of continental landmasses. This correction has far-reaching implications beyond geography. As Togo’s foreign minister Robert Dussey pointed out, maps “shape our understanding of the world” and “are never neutral.” They influence how we educate ourselves, imagine possibilities, and perceive global relationships.

The Mercator projection, created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, was designed to serve the needs of navigation. The result is a map that distorts the relative sizes of landmasses, making Greenland appear about as big as Africa, despite the African continent being approximately 14 times larger. This distortion has been perpetuated through generations, shaping our perception of global power and reinforcing the notion that Western nations are the epicenter of the world.

The correction acknowledges Africa’s true size and recognizes the historical injustices perpetrated against the continent and its people. The legacy of colonialism continues to shape global politics, economies, and cultures, often in insidious ways that perpetuate inequality and reinforce Western dominance. Correcting the map is a small but significant step towards rectifying this imbalance.

The US voted against the resolution, arguing that the Equal Earth projection pushed an “ideological agenda” and distracted from more pressing global issues. This response reflects the country’s long-standing reluctance to acknowledge its own role in perpetuating colonialism and imperialism. By opposing the correction, the US is defending a distorted representation of reality, one that reinforces its own privileged position in the world.

The adoption of the Equal Earth projection also highlights the changing global landscape. As Africa continues to grow in economic and demographic terms, it’s no longer acceptable to perpetuate outdated and inaccurate representations of the continent. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot acknowledged that “correcting a distorted representation is already an act of truth,” highlighting the growing recognition that our understanding of the world must evolve to reflect new global realities.

The next step will be to see how countries implement this change. Will they replace traditional maps in schools, as Togo aims to do by the end of the year? Or will they simply pay lip service to the correction while continuing to use the Mercator projection in practice? The answer will tell us whether this vote was a genuine attempt to correct a centuries-old mistake or just another symbolic gesture that fails to translate into meaningful action.