India backs UN Resolution for new World map showing more accurate size of continents
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, September 5, 2026: India has voted in favour of a United Nations General Assembly resolution supporting a more accurate representation of the world’s geography, paving the way for wider use of maps that better reflect the actual size of continents.
The resolution, backed by 164 countries, seeks to address distortions associated with the widely used Mercator projection, under which areas closer to the North and South Poles appear significantly larger than their actual size. The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution, while six countries abstained.
The move has particular significance for Africa, whose landmass is substantially larger than it appears on conventional Mercator maps. Under the proposed approach, based on equal-area mapping, Africa will appear closer to its actual scale, while Europe and North America will appear relatively smaller.
Why the World Map Is Being Reconsidered
The Mercator projection was developed in the 16th century primarily for navigation. While it has been useful for maritime purposes, it does not preserve the true relative size of landmasses.
One of the most striking examples is Greenland. On a Mercator map, Greenland can appear comparable in size to Africa, even though Africa is around 14 times larger in area.
The new UN-backed initiative promotes the use of equal-area projections, including the Equal Earth projection, which was designed to represent the relative areas of countries and continents more accurately.
India Among Countries Supporting the Move
India was among the 164 countries that supported the resolution. The vote reflects broad international backing for improving the way geographical information is presented in education, public communication and digital platforms.
The resolution does not impose an immediate worldwide ban on the Mercator projection. Instead, it encourages countries and relevant institutions to consider more accurate alternatives, particularly in educational and public-facing materials.
More Than Just a Change in Maps
Supporters of the initiative argue that maps do more than simply show geography — they also shape how people understand the world.
The long-standing distortion of areas near the poles has meant that parts of Europe and North America have visually appeared much larger than their actual land area, while Africa and other equatorial regions have appeared comparatively smaller.
The campaign behind the resolution, led by Togo and supported by the African Union, has framed the change as an effort to correct a longstanding imbalance in global geographical representation.
The UN vote therefore marks an important symbolic step towards more geographically accurate maps, although the transition to alternative projections will depend on how governments, schools, publishers, technology companies and other institutions implement the recommendation.