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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mark Banchereau

Campaigners want to change the world map to show Africa is bigger

Africa Gerardus Mercator Earth the African Union
Africa Map - (AP2011)

On the Mercator projection, one of the world’s most popular maps, Greenland and Africa appear to be about the same size. But on the Equal Earth projection showing continents in their true proportions, 14 Greenlands would easily fit inside the African continent.

Criticism that the Mercator projection does not accurately reflect Africa's real size is not new.

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