B1AI-generatedSeptember 6, 2026·2 min read·282 words·6 vocab words·Source: CBS News

UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size

Q: How do you think the media uses maps to influence public opinion?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: If you were a teacher, would you replace the Mercator map in your classroom?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: Why do you think the United States was the only country to vote against the resolution?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: How does a map's design affect our imagination and how we view other cultures?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: Do you think digital map platforms like Google Maps will adopt this change soon?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a map that distorts sizes?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: In what ways can cartography be seen as a political tool?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

Q: How has your own understanding of the world's geography changed over time?

This is a discussion question for the article "UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size". The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, whi

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UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size — Photo: Concert stage geograph.org.uk 223924 by Hugh Venables (CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons) (CC BY-SA 2.0)

In brief

The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth map projection to show the true size of Africa. This new map corrects the distortions of the traditional 16th-century Mercator map, which makes Greenland and Africa look equal in size. On the Equal Earth map, Africa is actually 14 times larger. Although 164 countries voted in favor of the resolution, the United States voted against it. The UN encourages schools and businesses to adopt the new map.

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The United Nations General Assembly has voted to endorse a new world map that shows the size of Africa more accurately. This decision is the result of a campaign that was led by African nations and advocacy groups. Togo sponsored the resolution, which received strong backing from the African Union.

During the vote on Friday, September 6, 2026, a total of 164 member states voted in favor of the change. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution. Meanwhile, six other nations decided to abstain, including Serbia, Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine.

The resolution encourages schools, businesses, and newsrooms around the world to replace the traditional Mercator map with the 2018 Equal Earth projection. However, the UN has pointed out that the resolution does not ban the old map or force anyone to use the new one.

The Mercator map, which people have used since the 16th century, has a major design problem. It makes Greenland and Africa look almost equal in size. In contrast, the Equal Earth map follows the curvature of the planet to show true proportions. On this correct map, Africa is actually 14 times larger than Greenland.

Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator originally designed the old map to help European sailors navigate the seas. While it is still useful for navigation, geography professors like Mark Monmonier say there is no point in using it for other purposes.

Before the vote, Togo's Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, explained that maps are highly influential because they guide education and shape our imagination. After the vote, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot shared his thoughts on social media, stating that correcting a distorted map is an act of truth.

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Comprehension

Question 1 of 3

Which map projection does the UN resolution encourage organizations to adopt?

Grammar spotlight

Present Perfect for Recent Events of Current Relevance

One point · B1

We use the present perfect tense to connect the past to the present, especially when announcing news or recent decisions that affect us now.

From this article

“The United Nations General Assembly has voted to endorse a new world map that shows the size of Africa more accurately.”

What to know · B1

Use it today

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Neutral register

Scenario: You are writing a social media post about why your school should purchase new geography textbooks.

01“The UN has pointed out that...”
02“It makes Greenland and Africa look almost equal.”
03“Correcting a distorted map is an act of truth.”

Register tip · informal

🔑Key Phrases

“has voted to endorse”— a voté pour approuver

Highlights the official action taken by the UN assembly.

Present perfect tense ('has' + past participle).

The city council has voted to endorse the new park project.

“voted in favor of the change”— ont voté en faveur du changement

Identifies the majority stance of the member states.

Past simple verb + prepositional phrase 'in favor of'.

Most citizens voted in favor of the change to the local laws.

“follows the curvature of the planet”— suit la courbure de la planète

Explains the scientific design of the Equal Earth projection.

Present simple verb + definite object noun phrase.

The satellite's path follows the curvature of the planet.

“correcting a distorted map”— corriger une carte déformée

Refers to the process of fixing geographical inaccuracies.

Gerund phrase acting as a subject or object.

Correcting a distorted map helps students learn geography properly.

Accent

Article Audio — Kokoro TTS

UN Endorses Equal Earth Map to Correct Africa's Size

💬Discussion Questions

Open-ended questions to talk or write about — alone, with a partner, or in class.

1
How do you think the media uses maps to influence public opinion?
Evaluate
2
If you were a teacher, would you replace the Mercator map in your classroom?
Personal
3
Why do you think the United States was the only country to vote against the resolution?
Opinion
4
How does a map's design affect our imagination and how we view other cultures?
Evaluate
5
Do you think digital map platforms like Google Maps will adopt this change soon?
Predict
6
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a map that distorts sizes?
Compare
7
In what ways can cartography be seen as a political tool?
Opinion
8
How has your own understanding of the world's geography changed over time?
Personal