Archive · 16 Aug 2025
African Union Calls to Scrap Traditional World Map
Imagine a map that makes some places look bigger or smaller than they really are.
That's what the Mercator map does to Africa!
The African Union and some other groups are saying this map isn't fair because it makes Africa look smaller than it is.
They want everyone to use a different map, called the Equal Earth projection, that shows all the continents in the correct size.
This new map would be used in schools and by important organizations.
The old map has been around for a long time, but some people think it's misleading.
The goal is to make sure everyone understands the true size and importance of Africa.
The African Union (AU) is advocating for a replacement of the Mercator map.
The Mercator projection distorts the size of continents, making Africa appear smaller.
The AU supports the Equal Earth projection for a more accurate representation.
Advocacy groups like Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa are leading the campaign.
The World Bank is phasing out the Mercator projection in favor of alternatives.
- Who
- The African Union, advocacy groups like Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, and global institutions.
- What
- The African Union is campaigning to replace the Mercator map with the Equal Earth projection.
- When
- The campaign is ongoing.
- Where
- Globally, with a focus on African representation.
- Why
- To accurately represent the size of Africa and counter the distortion of the Mercator projection.
- Organization
- African Union
- Map Being Replaced
- Mercator projection
- Preferred Projection
- Equal Earth
- Advocacy Groups
- Africa No Filter, Speak Up Africa
- World Bank Status
- Phasing out Mercator