UN General Assembly Approves Controversial Map Redefining Continents
By Editor • September 4, 2026 • 1 min read
The United Nations General Assembly has made a significant change to its cartographic policies, approving a resolution that alters the size of Africa while reducing the dimensions of North America and Europe. This decision, hailed by several African nations, aims to provide a more accurate representation of the world’s landmasses.
A Call for Representation
On Friday, the assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the new map, with 164 countries supporting the initiative. The resolution was primarily pushed by African countries, reflecting a desire for the continent to be portrayed more prominently on global maps. However, the United States opposed the resolution, joined by six other nations that chose to abstain.
The Equal Earth Projection
The newly adopted map utilizes the Equal Earth cartographic projection, which proponents argue offers a more accurate depiction of geographical dimensions. This projection is designed to address longstanding biases found in traditional mapping methods that often diminish the size of continents like Africa.
Source: www.scmp.com
