UN backs maps reflecting Africa’s true scale

By The BriefBrief

The UN largely endorsed a resolution promoting maps that reflect the true scale of continents after an African-led campaign to move away from the 16th-century Mercator projection. The United States voted against, calling it part of a “much larger and more radical ideological project,” while several other countries abstained.

WHO: United Nations; United States delegation; Robert Dussey (Togo foreign minister)

WHAT: UN vote endorses a resolution to promote continent maps that reflect true scale, rejecting the Mercator projection as the standard depiction.

WHEN: Reported Sep 5, 2026 at 5:35 AM ET

WHERE: United Nations (location not specified)

WHY: The resolution was advanced following an African-led campaign to depict Africa more accurately by moving away from the Mercator projection.

How this story developed (showing 9 of 9 earlier reports)

UN changes map conventions that made Africa look smaller · Sep 8, 2026 at 8:13 PM ET
India and 163 others vote at UNGA for revised map · Sep 7, 2026 at 5:07 AM ET
UN adopts Equal Earth map after US votes no · Sep 6, 2026 at 10:08 AM ET
UN vote backs map showing Africa’s true size · Sep 6, 2026 at 4:07 AM ET
U.S. sole objector to UN “Equal Earth” map resolution · Sep 5, 2026 at 10:07 PM ET
UN backs resolution to correct Africa’s map size · Sep 5, 2026 at 4:06 PM ET
UN backs Equal Earth map showing Africa as larger · Sep 5, 2026 at 9:06 AM ET
UN backs new map showing Africa’s true size · Sep 5, 2026 at 3:04 AM ET
UN General Assembly adopts Equal Earth world map · Sep 4, 2026 at 9:06 PM ET

Reporting from 16 identified publishers across this event arc.

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Publishers represented across this event arc

ABC Australia — View reporting
ABC News — View reporting
Al Jazeera —
3 articles
BBC News — View reporting
Bloomberg — View reporting
CNN World —
2 articles
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Dawn Pakistan — View reporting
Deutsche Welle — View reporting
Fox News — View reporting
NPR — View reporting
Politico Europe — View reporting
Sky News — View reporting
The Hindu —
2 articles
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- View article 2
The Independent — View reporting
Times of India — View reporting
Washington Post — View reporting

These publishers contributed reporting to the broader event history. Not every source addresses the specific development described above.

How this brief is built: The BriefBrief correlates multiple sources into one evolving event brief, updated as new facts emerge.

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