African Union backs campaign to replace Mercator map that distorts Africa's size
Summary
The African Union supports a campaign to replace the Mercator map with one that accurately shows Africa's size. The Mercator map makes Africa look smaller, affecting perceptions of the continent. The campaign suggests using the Equal Earth map, which shows true sizes but distorts shapes.Key Facts
- The African Union backs a campaign to replace the Mercator map, which underrepresents Africa's size.
- The Mercator map was created in 1569 to help explorers travel in straight lines.
- The Correct The Map campaign aims to reach 5,000 signatures to support the change.
- The campaign advocates for the Equal Earth map, showing correct sizes but distorted shapes.
- The Mercator map makes Africa and Greenland appear similar in size, though Africa is much larger.
- Organizations like NASA and National Geographic are adopting the Equal Earth map.
- The World Bank is moving away from the Mercator map for more accurate representations.
- Google Maps made the Mercator map optional in 2018.
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