The African Union (AU) is pushing for a new global map standard, arguing that the widely used Mercator projection distorts the size of Africa and other regions near the equator. On a Mercator map, Africa appears only slightly larger than Greenland, yet in reality it is about 15 times bigger.
To address this imbalance, the AU has endorsed the “Correct The Map” campaign, led by Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa, which is promoting the Equal Earth projection. Introduced in 2018, the Equal Earth map maintains true proportions between continents, offering a more accurate and equitable view of the world.
The campaign aims to integrate the Equal Earth projection into African school curricula and encourage its adoption by global organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. Supporters say the change will help counter long-standing Eurocentric biases in cartography and strengthen Africans’ sense of identity and pride.
