‘Correct the Map’ Resolution at the UN: Global Debate on Map Projections
The United Nations General Assembly has approved the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, which aims to promote world maps that more accurately depict the actual surface area of continents. Introduced by Togo, the resolution garnered support from 164 countries, while the United States opposed it and six nations abstained from voting. The Mercator projection depicts polar regions as larger and equatorial regions as relatively smaller, whereas the Equal Earth Projection offers a better representation of actual surface area. This debate highlights that maps are not merely geographical tools; they can also influence our perceptions regarding the political, economic, and geographical significance of nations and continents.
The United Nations General Assembly approved the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, which encourages the use of world maps that more accurately display the actual surface area of continents. The resolution was introduced by Togo and supported by 164 countries, including members of the African Union. The United States voted against it, while six countries abstained.
Nature and Significance of the Resolution
The resolution is non-binding; therefore, it does not mandate that government bodies, educational institutions, or international organizations immediately alter their existing maps. However, it could spark a new international dialogue regarding the projections used in map-making and the geographical representation of the world.
Mercator Projection and Area Distortion
The Mercator projection was developed by the Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. Its primary advantage was the preservation of direction, making it useful for navigation. However, it causes landmasses located near the poles to appear disproportionately large, while regions near the equator appear smaller. For instance, on a Mercator map, Greenland may appear roughly equal in size to Africa, whereas in reality, Africa’s land area is approximately 30.4 million sq km compared to Greenland’s 2.2 million sq km.
Significance of the Equal Earth Projection
The Equal Earth Projection is an equal-area map projection designed to more accurately represent the actual relative areas of different regions of the Earth. According to reports, the 54 member nations of the African Union adopted it in February. It has become a key component of the #CorrectTheMap campaign.
Maps: More Than Just Geographical Tools
Maps are not merely mediums for displaying locations and boundaries; they can also shape our geographical, political, and economic perceptions of the world. Consistently depicting a region as smaller or larger than its actual size can influence public perception regarding its resources, population, economic significance, and global role. Consequently, activists and geographers focused on Africa have emphasized the need for more accurate maps.
Why is this important for UPSC?
This topic is relevant to both GS Paper-1 (Geography) and GS Paper-2 (International Relations). In the UPSC context, it links to issues such as map projections (specifically Mercator and Equal-Area projections), area-versus-shape distortion, the geography of Africa, the UN General Assembly, and global geopolitical perceptions. Furthermore, this example illustrates how technically created maps can influence societal perceptions regarding geography and politics.
