The United Nations has approved a new world map that significantly changes how Africa is depicted, according to a report by businesstech.co.za. The updated map is designed to address long-standing inaccuracies in how the continent’s true size is represented on standard global projections.
The decision follows growing criticism of traditional map-making methods, which distort landmasses near the equator. Businesstech.co.za reports that the new map aims to give Africa a more accurate scale relative to other continents, correcting a visual bias that has persisted for decades.
Most conventional world maps rely on the Mercator projection, which inflates the size of landmasses closer to the poles while shrinking those near the equator. As a result, Africa—which sits largely on the equator—appears much smaller than it is in reality. The new UN-approved map seeks to fix this distortion, offering a more truthful representation of the continent’s landmass.
Other outlets have also weighed in on the change. EWN noted that Africa should indeed be bigger on world maps, while Al Jazeera has challenged readers to guess the real size of countries under the new projection. TimesLIVE’s Tom Eaton commented that the shift effectively “cuts America down to size,” reflecting how the map alters perceptions of multiple regions, not just Africa.
The approval marks a notable step in cartographic reform, though it remains to be seen whether the new map will replace the Mercator standard in classrooms and atlases worldwide. Observers will be watching to see how quickly the UN-backed version gains adoption beyond official use.
