The African Union (AU) has formally endorsed a campaign urging the United Nations and global institutions to abandon the centuries-old Mercator projection in favor of maps that more accurately reflect Africa’s true size.
First developed in the 16th century for navigation, the Mercator map inflates regions near the poles like Europe and North America, while shrinking Africa and South America, reinforcing what AU officials describe as outdated stereotypes. “It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not,” said Selma Malika Haddadi, AU Commission deputy chairperson, arguing the distortion contributes to Africa being perceived as marginal despite its vast size and population.
The “Correct The Map” campaign, led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, is promoting the Equal Earth projection, already adopted by the World Bank for some uses. Advocates say the shift would restore pride, especially in classrooms, and support the AU’s broader goal of “reclaiming Africa’s rightful place on the global stage.” A formal request has been submitted to the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) for review.