African Union seeks to replace Mercator map projection due to distortions and symbolic marginalisation
The African Union (AU) has endorsed the 'Correct the Map' campaign to replace the Mercator map projection with alternatives like the Equal Earth map. The Mercator projection, designed in 1569 for navigation, distorts landmass sizes, making areas near the poles appear larger (e.g., Greenland) and equatorial regions (like Africa) appear smaller than their actual size. This distortion, critics argue, has subtly reinforced Africa's marginalisation in the global imagination. The Equal Earth projection preserves relative areas but distorts shapes, while the Gall-Peters projection also preserves area but elongates continents. The AU's move aims to restore geographical accuracy and reclaim dignity, though displacing the entrenched Mercator map will be challenging.
Key Points
- The Mercator map projection, designed in 1569, distorts the true sizes of continents, making Africa appear smaller than it is and reinforcing a perception of marginalisation.
- The African Union (AU) supports replacing Mercator with alternatives like the Equal Earth projection, which accurately represents relative landmass sizes.
- Map projections inherently involve distortions, as flattening a sphere onto a plane requires compromises in area, shape, distance, or direction.
- The campaign aims to correct historical misrepresentations and reclaim dignity for Africa, despite the challenge of changing deeply entrenched educational and digital norms.
Exam Facts
- Map projection in question: Mercator projection (designed by Gerardus Mercator in 1569).
- Alternative projections: Equal Earth projection (created in 2018), Gall-Peters projection.
- Africa's actual size: 30 million sq. km (Greenland is 14x smaller).
- AU's deputy chairperson: Selma Malika Haddadi.
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