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UN General Assembly to vote on phasing out Mercator map for Equal Earth design

A resolution sponsored by Togo and backed by the African Union seeks to replace the centuries-old projection with a map reflecting Africa's true land area.

Updated Sep 4, 2026 · 02:18 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • The UN General Assembly is voting on a resolution to transition away from the 1569 Mercator projection in favor of the 2018 Equal Earth map design.
  • The effort is sponsored by Togo with the backing of African Union member states aiming to correct geographic scale distortions of the continent.
  • While the resolution is non-binding, advocates hope it will prompt updates across educational curricula, public governance, and consumer mapping technology.
  • The final vote tally and the extent to which major tech platforms and educational boards voluntarily adopt the projection remain to be seen.

Key facts

  • The UN General Assembly scheduled a vote on a resolution to phase out the Mercator projection in favor of the 2018 Equal Earth map design.[The Guardian]
  • The resolution was introduced by Togo and is supported by member states of the African Union, which endorsed the #CorrectTheMap campaign in August 2025.[The Guardian]
  • The traditional Mercator projection distorts scale by shrinking equatorial regions like Africa while visually inflating landmasses at higher latitudes.[The Guardian]
  • General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding or enforceable, though proponents aim to influence textbook publishers, governments, and technology providers.[The Guardian]
  • Togo intends to host a conference in Lomé in early 2027 with UNESCO, the African Union, and technology companies such as Google Maps to discuss practical implementation.[The Guardian]

What remains uncertain

  • Whether the resolution will pass and the final breakdown of votes and abstentions among UN member states.[The Guardian]
  • The degree to which private technology firms and national education systems will choose to adopt the Equal Earth projection following a non-binding vote.[The Guardian]

Sources