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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Stuti Mishra

The UK among 164 nations to vote in support of new world map

  • The UN General Assembly has voted to replace the traditional Mercator world map with map projections that accurately reflect the true size of continents.
  • The Togo-sponsored Correct the Map resolution passed with support from 164 nations, including the UK, while the US was the only country to vote against it.
  • Traditional Mercator maps distort geographic reality by shrinking equatorial landmasses like Africa, making the continent appear the same size as Greenland despite being 14 times larger.
  • The non-binding resolution urges governments, schools, international organisations, and tech companies to adopt proportional alternatives such as the Equal Earth projection.
  • Togolese foreign minister Robert Dussey emphasised that maps shape global perceptions and that the campaign seeks an accurate representation of Africa's scale.

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