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An equal-area world map projection released in 2018 that shows every country at its true relative size, now endorsed by the UN General Assembly.
The Equal Earth projection is a world map projection released in 2018 by Bojan Savric, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny. It is an equal-area (equivalent) pseudocylindrical projection, which means every region on the map occupies an area proportional to its true area on the globe — Africa looks as large relative to Greenland as it actually is. It was designed as a visually appealing alternative to the Gall-Peters projection, which is also equal-area but distorts shapes severely, and it borrows the pleasing look of the Robinson projection while, unlike Robinson, preserving area exactly. In September 2026 it moved from cartography into diplomacy when the UN General Assembly adopted a 'Correct the Map' resolution promoting it.
Type: ConceptEqual-area — the ratio of areas is preserved everywhere, so relative country sizes are truthful; no cylindrical, conformal or compromise projection can claim this
Pseudocylindrical — all parallels and the central meridian are straight lines and the poles are represented as lines rather than points, while the other meridians curve outward
Parallels are unequally spaced and meridians equally spaced, which is what lets the projection hold area constant while keeping continents recognisably shaped
Developed in 2018 by Bojan Savric, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny, and published in the International Journal of Geographical Information Science
Created in response to the 2017 controversy after Boston Public Schools adopted the Gall-Peters projection, whose extreme polar and equatorial shape distortion drew criticism
Released into the public domain and built into major GIS software, which is why it could be adopted quickly and at no licensing cost
Frequency: Rising — map projections are a recurring UPSC Prelims geography topic, and the September 2026 UNGA resolution makes Equal Earth a likely current-affairs link for the next cycle
Gerardus Mercator published his projection in 1569 for a specific and legitimate purpose: a line of constant compass bearing, a rhumb line, appears as a straight line on it, which made it indispensable for ocean navigation. The cost of that property is area distortion that grows with latitude, so high-latitude landmasses such as Greenland, Europe and Russia appear far larger than they are while equatorial regions such as Africa and South America appear far smaller. Arno Peters revived an equal-area alternative in 1973, framing the argument in explicitly political terms, but the Gall-Peters projection's stretched shapes drew objections from cartographers. The Equal Earth projection of 2018 was an attempt to settle the argument on aesthetic as well as mathematical grounds.
Gerardus Mercator publishes his conformal projection for navigation
Mollweide projection introduced — an early equal-area pseudocylindrical map
Arno Peters promotes the Gall-Peters equal-area projection as a corrective to Mercator
Boston Public Schools adopt Gall-Peters, reviving the debate and prompting criticism of its shape distortion
Equal Earth projection released by Savric, Patterson and Jenny
The African Union backs the 'Correct the Map' campaign against Mercator
UN General Assembly adopts the 'Correct the Map' resolution, 164-1 with 6 abstentions
| Aspect | Mercator (1569) | Equal Earth (2018) |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Conformal cylindrical | Equal-area pseudocylindrical |
| What it preserves | Local shape and angles; rhumb lines are straight | Relative area of every region |
| What it distorts | Area, increasingly towards the poles | Shape, increasingly towards the map edges |
| Poles | Cannot be shown — stretch to infinity | Shown as lines, not points |
| Best used for | Marine and air navigation; web map tiles | Thematic world maps, education, data visualisation |
| Status | Still standard for navigation | Promoted by the UNGA 'Correct the Map' resolution, 2026 |
On 4 September 2026 the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution titled 'Correct the Map', moved by African Union member states together with the Bahamas and led diplomatically by Togo. It passed 164-1 with six abstentions, the United States casting the only vote against, and it encourages the use of accurate, equal-area representations such as the Equal Earth projection in UN materials, education and public communication. The argument advanced by its sponsors is that a projection shown in classrooms, news graphics and policy documents for over 450 years has visually shrunk an entire continent and shaped how its scale and importance are perceived. The resolution is a recommendation, not law: it creates no obligation on member states, does not prohibit any projection, and the Togolese government stated explicitly that it in no way challenges the continued use of Mercator for maritime and aerial navigation, for which it remains fully suited.
Equal Earth = equal-area pseudocylindrical projection, 2018, by Savric, Patterson and Jenny
Preserves relative AREA; distorts shape near the map edges
Mercator (1569) is conformal — preserves shape and angles, inflates area towards the poles; still standard for navigation
No flat map can preserve both area and shape — a mathematical impossibility
Poles appear as lines, not points; parallels unequally spaced, meridians equally spaced
UNGA 'Correct the Map' resolution adopted 4 September 2026: 164-1, 6 abstentions, US against
Moved by African Union states plus the Bahamas, led by Togo; non-binding, and Mercator is retained for navigation
It is an equal-area pseudocylindrical world map projection released in 2018 by Bojan Savric, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny, which shows every landmass at its true relative size while keeping continents visually recognisable.
Mercator preserves shape and angles, which makes it excellent for navigation, but it inflates area progressively away from the equator. Greenland appears comparable in size to Africa, although Africa is roughly fourteen times larger.
No. The UN General Assembly resolution of 4 September 2026 promotes accurate equal-area maps such as Equal Earth, but it is non-binding and explicitly does not challenge the use of Mercator for maritime and aerial navigation.
It was adopted on 4 September 2026 by 164 votes in favour to 1 against, with 6 abstentions. The United States cast the only vote against. The resolution was put forward by African Union member states and the Bahamas.
No. It is mathematically impossible to flatten a sphere onto a plane while preserving both area and shape. Every projection must choose which property to keep and which to sacrifice.