NEW YORK — The United States was the only country to vote against the resolution. Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine abstained from the vote. The resolution was introduced by Togo on behalf of the African Group and supported by the African Union. The Bahamas and France co-sponsored the resolution.

The resolution encourages the use of equal-area projections such as Equal Earth for representing relative sizes of countries and continents. It urges member states to adopt the Equal Earth map in place of the traditional Mercator projection. The text describes correcting map distortions as an act of "cognitive justice and memorial reparation." The resolution is not legally binding. It does not require countries or institutions to abandon the Mercator projection for maritime and aerial navigation.

"Maps shape our understanding of the world. They guide education, nourish the imagination, and influence collective perceptions," Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said. He added that "a fair world begins with a fair map." The African Union stated, "Today's resolution promotes equal-area maps like Equal Earth across classrooms, media, and international institutions, ensuring the world map finally reflects Africa's true scale, weight, and place in the world."

Yaryna Ferencevych, deputy U.S. representative to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, opposed the measure. "Resolutions like this and the ideological agenda they promote, are barnacles on our work here, and the reason this institution is losing its credibility," Ferencevych said. France announced it would abandon the Mercator projection in favor of equal-area representations. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated, "The United States, Russia and China take on a disproportionate visual prominence compared to Africa, Latin America or southeast Asia." He added, "Distortions eventually take root in perceptions and the time has come to correct them."

Ukraine objected to the resolution due to concerns that Equal Earth maps could create ambiguity over disputed territories occupied by Russia. Ireland, speaking on behalf of the European Union, stated that the resolution applies only to relative size and has no bearing on sovereignty or internationally recognized borders. Tom Patterson, a former senior cartographer at the U.S. National Park Service, reacted to the vote.

"Wow. When we [Bojan Šavrič and Bernie Jenny] created the Equal Earth projection in 2018, we never imagined this," Patterson said. Carlos Lopes, a professor at the University of Cape Town, posted, "164 votes in favour! This is an emotional day for me." The #CorrectTheMap campaign petition on Change.org has more than 11,000 signatures.

The Mercator projection was created in 1569 by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator. It represented sailing courses of constant bearing as straight lines, an innovation still employed in nautical charts. The projection preserves the shape of land masses but distorts their size, making regions closer to the poles appear larger than they are.

It inflated northern regions and compressed equatorial ones, making Europe and North America appear much larger while shrinking Africa and South America. Africa is approximately 14 times larger than Greenland in actual surface area. The Equal Earth projection is an equal-area pseudocylindrical global map projection inspired by the Robinson projection but retains the relative size of areas. The Equal Earth projection was developed in 2018 by Tom Patterson, Bojan Šavrič, and Bernie Jenny. The African Union adopted the Equal Earth projection in February 2026.

Why It Matters

The resolution addresses long-standing criticisms that standard world maps distort the relative size of nations, particularly those in the Global South. By urging the adoption of equal-area projections, the United Nations seeks to correct visual biases that have shaped educational and public perceptions for centuries. The vote demonstrates broad international support for reframing geographic representation, although the measure remains non-binding and leaves implementation to individual member states.

The divergence in voting shows differing priorities among member states. While most nations supported the call for cognitive justice, the United States viewed the resolution as detrimental to the institution's credibility. Concerns from Ukraine regarding territorial ambiguity and clarifications from the European Union regarding sovereignty indicate that the shift in cartographic standards intersects with ongoing geopolitical sensitivities. The adoption follows earlier moves by the African Union to implement Equal Earth mapping, signaling a potential broader shift in how international bodies visualize global geography.

Timeline

On September 4, 2026, the specific date of the adoption of the resolution was set by the United Nations General Assembly during its 114th plenary meeting. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on September 4, 2026, calling for a fairer and more accurate cartographic representation of Africa and other regions of the world, with the resolution passing with 164 votes in favor, six abstentions, and one vote against by the United States. On that date, the African Union stated, "Today's resolution promotes equal-area maps like Equal Earth across classrooms, media, and international institutions, ensuring the world map finally reflects Africa's true scale, weight, and place in the world." He also stated, "Distortions eventually take root in perceptions and the time has come to correct them." Tom Patterson stated, "Wow. When we [Bojan Šavrič and Bernie Jenny] created the Equal Earth projection in 2018, we never imagined this."

What's New

Additional details revealed that the specific date of the adoption of the resolution was September 4, 2026, which was set by the United Nations General Assembly during its 114th plenary meeting. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël he stated, "The United States, Russia and China take on a disproportionate visual prominence compared to Africa, Latin America or southeast Asia." Togo's Foreign Minister Robert Dussey stated, "A fair world begins with a fair map." He also stated, "A fair map does not change the geography of the world, it changes how we see the world."

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the level of detail provided regarding the United Nations General Assembly adoption. Au.int reported that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on September 4, 2026, calling for a fairer and more accurate cartographic representation of Africa and other regions of the world, with the resolution passing with 164 votes in favor. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/..

Identified the measure specifically as the "Correct the Map" resolution adopted on Friday, September 4, 2026. Sources also differ on the characterization of the United States' position. Au.int noted the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on September 4, 2026, calling for a fairer and more accurate cartographic representation of Africa and other regions of the world, with the resolution passing with 164 votes in favor. The United Nations General Assembly voting record specified that the United States was the only country to vote against the resolution.