Sep 4, 2026, 5:17 PMUN votes to adopt new world map that shows Africa’s true scale
Togo-sponsored resolution called to phase out traditional map that depicts continent as similar size to Greenland
The United Nations has voted to adopt a resolution for the world to formally phase out the traditional Mercator map of the globe in favour of one that more accurately displays Africa’s size.
Only the US voted no.
#Native #Indigenous #BIPOC #Africa
Sep 4, 2026, 6:06 PM@Yehuda Of course the US voted no 😂.
@canyakker @Yehuda of course they did : this projection shows the real size of Greenland.
@Yehuda Because some orange dipsticks ego might get hurt if another country is "bigly-er" than the USA.
No lie, when I was in grade school there were maps of the USA on the wall that depicted Texas as being bigger than Alaska. Why? Because we were in Texas. And Texans are just Like That™.
I didn't learn the truth until high school.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVX-PrBRtTY
CJ: "But you can't do that"
CfSJ: "Why not?"
CJ: "Because its freaking me out!"
@Yehuda How many geezers does it take to change a light bulb? Three, one to change it and two to talk about how good the old one was.
Trump is a geezer.
@Yehuda Sorry, buy what is stopping all of the other UN nations to just start using that map instead anyway?
@agowa338 @Yehuda Nothing, it was a non-binding and thus not vetoable resolution. Every country and organisation is free to follow or ignore it. The representatives from Togo themselves have stated that Mercator projection has utility, just not in textbooks, Equal Earth is better in textbooks.
An app I use is internally considering due to this resolution whether it makes sense to abandon Mercator at planet scale renders and then switch to Mercator for local zooms (Mercator is terrible for size, but good for shape)
@Yehuda I used to have a wold map with the Peters-projection; I assume that it is the same or very similar.
@Yehuda I hope they go with equal earth. It's equal area and nice looking
Bro, we're so stressed here that the new one is literally stressing me out.
Sep 5, 2026, 7:46 AM@Yehuda
Stupid question: Which map exactly? This reads like "UN outlaws Mercator projection" but I suppose this is more like "UN will no longer use Mercator for official business and visualizations". I haven't read this as precisely anywhere, though.
Edit: Okay, found it. The UN suggests governments, schools, etc. to not use Mercator 👍
Sep 5, 2026, 10:49 AM
@Yehuda Very interesting and eye-opening. The difference in Africa’s actual size is remarkable