United Nations General Assembly adopts 'Correct the Map' resolution on September 4, 2026

Key facts

• The United Nations General Assembly adopted the 'Correct the Map' resolution on September 4, 2026, with 164 votes in favor, one against, and six abstentions.
• The resolution, introduced by Togo on behalf of the African Group, encourages the use of equal-area projections such as Equal Earth to accurately represent Africa's true size.
• The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution.
• The resolution is not legally binding and does not require abandoning the Mercator projection.
• The Equal Earth projection was developed by Tom Patterson and colleagues in 2018.
• The Mercator projection, created in 1569, distorts the size of land masses, making regions near the poles appear larger.
• The African Union welcomed the resolution, stating it ensures the world map reflects Africa's true scale.