The resolution, sponsored by African countries and led by Togo, passed by 164 votes to one, with six abstentions. The United States was the only country to vote against it.
The initiative seeks to promote the Equal Earth projection as an alternative to the centuries-old Mercator map, which makes land masses closer to the poles appear much larger than they are.
The Mercator projection was developed in the 16th century and became widely used for navigation. It remains common in schools, online maps and other applications.
But its distortions can give a misleading impression of the relative size of countries.
Africa, for example, is about 14 times larger than Greenland, although the two can appear similar in size on a Mercator map.
The Equal Earth projection was designed to preserve the relative size of continents more accurately while still providing a practical representation of the globe.
African countries backing the initiative say changing the way the world is shown on maps could also help challenge long-standing perceptions of the continent and the legacy of colonial-era representations.
Togo plans to replace Mercator maps in its school geography materials with the Equal Earth projection by the end of the year.
The country also intends to encourage other African states, schools, international organisations and technology companies to consider adopting the projection.
The campaign could extend to digital mapping, GPS and other location-based technologies.
The UN resolution is not legally binding and does not call for the Mercator projection to be abandoned for maritime or aviation navigation, where it continues to be widely used.
The initiative is part of a broader effort by its African sponsors to promote a more accurate representation of the world's geography and challenge perceptions shaped by traditional maps.
Armenia is looking to turn shared environmental challenges into opportunities for regional cooperation, with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan highlig...
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It com...
In an interview with AnewZ’s Sabir Safarov, Houthi-aligned journalist Hussain al-Bukhaiti warns of possible attacks on Saudi Arabia’...
The Saudi-led coalition said early Thursday that it intercepted and destroyed a drone over Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.
Yemen’s Houthis have claimed responsibility for the recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Aramco facilities in Dhahran and Riyadh and at King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia, vowing to carry out more attacks in the coming days.
The U.S. has banned government employees working in Saudi Arabia from using airports in the country without special authorisation. It comes after a deadly Houthi strike on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport killed at least 13 people last week.
Ukraine's soldiers have had their access to Starlink satellite internet restricted. Kyiv's troops use the terminals, made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, to pilot drones. A source in Ukraine's Defence Ministry said the restrictions would make it harder for Kyiv's army to down Russian drones.
Ukraine is set to restart attacks on Russian oil refineries following a two-day pause, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, amid growing tensions with Washington over energy strikes and U.S. military support.
A Norwegian teenager recruited by a Swedish criminal network to carry out a contract killing in Britain has been sentenced to 20 years’ detention after police uncovered the murder plot.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called it “a disgrace” that Ukraine has resumed attacks on Russian oil refineries. Attacks are continuing from Russia and Ukraine as media reports say Ukraine has almost run out of Patriot interceptor missiles.
Romanian rescuers resumed their search for seven missing sailors on Friday (16 October) after a drone strike set a chemical tanker ablaze near the country’s Black Sea coast. The attacks have raised fresh security concerns along a vital regional trade route.
Students, lecturers and university staff marched on Argentina’s Congress in Buenos Aires on Thursday to demand President Javier Milei’s government implement a university funding law which would boost staff salaries and increase financial support to institutions to cover operating costs
A 16-year-old shooter opened fire on Thursday at an elementary school in Bend, Oregon in the United States, killing four people, including three children, before being killed by an armed member of the community who had pursued the assailant into the school, police said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment