The U.N. backs a new world map showing Africa in its true relative size

LAGOS, Nigeria — The United Nations General Assembly has overwhelmingly backed a resolution aimed at changing the way Africa and other regions are represented on world maps.

The "Correct the Map" resolution , introduced by Togo on behalf of the African Group and supported by the African Union, was adopted on Friday by 164 votes to one, with six countries abstaining.

Before the vote, Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps are far more than simple representations of geography.

"Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions," Dussey said.

The resolution is not legally binding and does not require countries or institutions to abandon the centuries-old Mercator projection, one of the world's most widely used maps. Instead, it encourages wider use of equal-area projections such as Equal Earth, which more accurately show the true relative size of countries and continents, particularly Africa, although their shapes are somewhat distorted.

Members of the Correct the Map campaign are encouraging governments, international organizations and educational institutions to adopt the Equal Earth projection.

Developed by Tom Patterson, a former senior cartographer at the U.S. National Park Service, and his colleagues in 2018, the map was designed to provide a more proportionally accurate picture of the world's land masses.

That contrasts with the traditional Mercator projection. Created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator, it preserves the shape of land masses but distorts their size, with regions closer to the poles appearing significantly larger than they actually are.