UN Endorses Equal-Area 'Equal Earth' Map in Non‑Binding Vote as Countries Protest Territorial Depictions

Overview

• The UN General Assembly voted 164–1–6 on 4 September to endorse the use of equal‑area projections, notably the Equal Earth projection, as a preferred way to show true land area on world maps.
• The resolution is non‑binding and does not set official borders or force a single global map, so adoption will depend on textbook revisions, publishers and major mapping platforms choosing to change their displays.
• Several governments raised formal objections after the vote about how disputed territories are shown, with Ukraine objecting to Crimea, India objecting to parts of Jammu and Kashmir including Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh, and Japan protesting the Kuril Islands.
• Cartographers and experts say the change corrects area distortion from Mercator‑style maps but carries tradeoffs because no projection can preserve area, shape and direction at once, so Mercator remains useful for navigation.
• Practical rollout will be gradual and political: schools and media may switch maps over time, countries will insist on their official boundary depictions, and platform operators will face technical and diplomatic choices that affect how people see the world.