UN endorses new world map showing Africa’s true size — after US voted against it

AP via NYP ^ | 09 05 2026 | Staff

[yesthatjallen]

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday endorsed a new world map that represents Africa more accurately in its larger size, a culmination of a recent campaign led by African countries and advocacy groups.

Friday’s resolution, which was sponsored by Togo and backed by members of the African Union, was passed with 164 member states voting in favor.

Only the US voted against it while six other countries — Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova and Ukraine — abstained.

The vote encourages governments and institutions around the world to replace the traditional Mercator map, commonly used since the 16th Century, with the Equal Earth projection that advocates and geographers say shows locations more accurately.

The Mercator projection shows Greenland and Africa as appearing to be about the same size whereas in the Equal Earth projection that shows continents in their true proportions, Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland.

SNIP

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: africa; map; mercator; un

[bigdaddy45]

Wow. Until now maps have been racist. Who knew. Glad we’re solving the big problems now.

[yesthatjallen]

"On a continent where you have wide spread food shortages in 12 countries, where you have no less than 6 armed conflicts, where corruption is rampant and human rights are ignored, true democracy and modern basic infrastructure are scarce, where diseases like Ebola and AIDS run rampant, THEY WORRY ABOUT HOW LARGE AFRICA IS DEPICTED ON A MAP?"

Yes.

[fightin kentuckian]

Or,.. Africa is an even bigger shithole than we knew.

[libertylover]

What is that?

[SaveFerris]

I was gonna ask

[SaveFerris]

I’m ALWAYS suspicious of nearly everything
where the United Nations is involved

I can’t think of one positive thing since
Resolution 181

[21twelve]

I believe the map in post 7 shows the sizes of the countries of the “new” map in blue overlain on the “old” map (in white). As another poster said, the new map must overstate the size of all of the oceans.

It would be interesting to look into the history of the map we usually use (Mercator) and how it was chosen. An old friend started a map store years ago. I always thought that was odd, but he did okay with it. Regular maps for travel, but then all sorts of different maps just for show, decorations, science, etc.

[astounded]

Take away that the US has about 13% sub- Saharan black population and suddenly our mean IQ would vault from 21st to I’d wager top 5 or 10.

[butlerweave]

but it’s Africa , it could be a paradise but it’s hell on earth

[Red6]

You know what is funny about this map?

It shows the dichotomy between an ideological belief and reality.

Of course we see this in the US too, where some of the most dangerous cities are the places with tight gun laws.

Many countries with super tight gun laws have high crime and disarmed law abiding citizens that get found in mass graves as in Mexico.

In Brazil you have the Favela’s.

Even in western affluent nations like Germany you’ll have folks mow people down with a sub machine gun, someone selling RPGs at a train station, BUT the average German Schmidt can’t own a handgun, or has to jump through hoops and pay huge fees to be able to, that despite possibly having served in the military and having a job with the equivalent of a clearance.

Here’s another real world contradiction. What do you think is the crime rate at a gun show? How many robberies and rapes happen there? There are guns EVERYWHERE, and people tend to be MORE POLITE. No kidding, test this theory. It already starts in the parking lot. People are extra polite. Why is that?

Gun laws are IMHO for stupid people with their theories and feelings which do not line up with the real world.

This isn’t rocket science, it really isn’t: https://www.city-data.com/

As a rule (there are exceptions) take a look at cities with very tight gun laws, and those with very lax laws, those that allow for CHL’s and open carry (really just intended to protect those that have a CHL - Karen’s like to call the cops as soon as they can see even a faint outline of a gun on someone) and those that don’t.

It’s the complete opposite of what the gun grabbers argue.

Do you know what happens to someone if they start breaking and entering homes in places like Prosper Texas?

[Vigilanteman]

Good map and a graphic illustration why the United States, with 4% of the world’s land area and 5% of the world’s population, cannot be the boarding house to the 70% or so of the world population who would like to move here.

[Vision]

Thanks

[magooey]

May I suggest we propose using the New Yorker’s “View of the World from 9th Avenue” as the proper map instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/View_of_the_World_from_9th_Avenue

[TexasFreeper2009]

equal earth is a better map for a lot of reasons, the least of which has anything to do with Africa

[Southern Sam]

The fatigue is larger than we thought!

[Red6]

Just because something might be perceived as “racist,” doesn’t make it statistically wrong.

The slaves that were brought here weren’t selected on the bases of intellect, and among the races, they already score second to last (only ahead of the Aboriginal people of Australia): https://reasonwithoutrestraint.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Screenshot-2021-10-11-025001.png

An excellent, more factual but older book on this topic: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0684824299?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback

You won’t find much that is new and worthwhile reading.

I can summarize all the newer material on this topic for you:

—In newer writings on this topic, there is an effort by the writer to inject political correct rationalizations based on some nurture argument.

—You get race and ethnicity jumbled together.

—They will question the validity of IQ and testing.

Of course, it is important to remember that you must judge all people individually, because no one is statistically average. This guy is probably off the chart: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Carson

Also, I would argue, and I mean this, so called intelligence is over rated. If you look at what you want in your spouse or child, is it (((really))) intelligence that is at first place, or love/concern, loyalty/trust, morals/values??? How about a church, would a pastor or priest prefer the smart but immoral, or the average intelligence but good person? There are many really smart and evil people, and I can tell you even as a parent I would rather have a kid that is a good person but mediocre in intellect, than someone that is really smart but completely twisted in their thinking. Would you rather be surrounded by so called friends that are super bright but will stab you in the back and don’t have your best interests in mind, or someone average but you can actually trust? High intellect does not equal good character and values.

[chuckee]

So, Africa is going from a big nothing to a bigger nothing.

[sphinx]

There are two kinds of maps: globes, and maps that distort something to translate a spherical surface onto a flat plane. All you can do is pick what you want to distort.

I won’t quarrel with anyone who wants to do a projection for ego gratification.

I could probably snoop around and find someone who could do a projection in which the world is centered on my house. The relevance of this will be understood by all freepers.

I’m surprised all USG agencies including the military aren’t already using the Mar-a-Lago projection of Planet Trump.

[discostu]

Globes are nice, but they don’t fit well in textbooks. And things like the Boggs eumorphic put those artificial gaps in and are hard to read. Save the Mercator for people who actually need to navigate, for basic learning, use one that’s accurate and readable.

[Honorary Serb]

Serbia abstained!!