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African Union Backs Campaign to Replace Mercator Map With Equal Earth Projection

The endorsement gives political weight to calls for decolonised mapping standards ahead of a UN expert review of the proposal.

Overview

  • The African Union formally endorsed the Correct The Map campaign, backing a shift from the 16th-century Mercator projection to more accurate alternatives like the 2018 Equal Earth projection.
  • Correct The Map has submitted a formal request to UN-GGIM, which will be reviewed by a committee of experts before any approval.
  • The World Bank already deploys Equal Earth or Winkel tripel for its static maps and plans to phase out Mercator from its web-based mapping platforms.
  • Campaign organisers are working with Africa’s 55 member states on coordinated advocacy and aiming to update school curricula so that the Equal Earth projection becomes the default standard in classrooms.
  • Tech platforms show partial adjustments: Google Maps has offered a 3D globe view on desktop since 2018, but its mobile app still defaults to the Mercator projection.