African Union Calls for End to Mercator Map, Citing Distortion of Continent’s Size
The African Union (AU) is supporting a campaign to replace the widely used Mercator map with the Equal Earth projection to more accurately reflect Africa’s size and counter the false impression of its marginalization. The Mercator map distorts sizes, making areas near the poles appear larger while shrinking Africa and South America, influencing perceptions in media, education, and policy. The Correct the Map campaign, spearheaded by advocacy groups, is urging organizations to adopt the Equal Earth map, with the AU endorsing this effort as part of its goal to reclaim Africa’s rightful place on the global stage. This initiative calls for the adoption of the Equal Earth map by global institutions, with other regions like the Caribbean Community also supporting the move as a rejection of the Mercator map’s representation of power and dominance.
John Q. Hosedrinker