UN Adopts New World Map Standard, Addressing Longstanding Distortion of Africa's Size

The United Nations has changed how it displays Africa on maps, according to a report by Al Jazeera, addressing a distortion that has persisted in the world's most commonly used map projection for roughly 450 years.

The report states that the widely used map, known as the Mercator projection, has long made Africa appear smaller relative to other continents than its actual land area. The Mercator projection, developed in the 16th century for maritime navigation, is known among cartographers to distort the size of landmasses, particularly enlarging areas near the poles while shrinking those near the equator, such as Africa.

According to Al Jazeera, the UN's shift represents an effort to correct this long-standing visual inaccuracy, which has shaped global perceptions of Africa's relative size and geographic significance for centuries.

Al Jazeera did not provide further technical details in the excerpt regarding the specific alternative projection adopted or the scope of its implementation across UN materials.

The change comes amid broader, longstanding discussions among cartographers and geographers about the limitations of traditional map projections and their influence on public understanding of global geography.