Latest news with #GerardusMercator
See - Sada Elbalad
9 hours ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
THE MERCATOR MAP – A COLONIAL LIE THAT SHRANK AFRICA, THEN DIVIDED IT
By Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, Founder, Africa Prosperity Network The 1569 Mercator map did not merely misrepresent Africa's size—it mutilated its dignity and incapacitated its destiny. From the moment Gerardus Mercator shrank Africa on paper, the continent was deliberately diminished in the eyes of the world. And, 300 years later, at the Berlin Conference of 1884, the very powers who first made Africa look small went further: they divided it into small, weak states under their control, designed to feed their industrialisation drive in Europe. Now, more than 500 years later, the African Union has begun reclaiming truth by endorsing the Equal Earth projection, a map that finally restores Africa's true scale. This is not just about cartographic accuracy—it is an act of liberation. It is about tearing down the lies that shrank us on paper, then broke us apart in practice. Cartographic Colonialism The Mercator projection was never neutral. It was designed for conquest. It bloated Europe by over 300% while crushing Africa into irrelevance. 'It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not,' AU Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi warned, noting how its distortion made 55 African nations look marginal. The deception went beyond ink. The rulers and compasses of 1884 carved kingdoms, trade routes, and ecosystems into fragments. Today, 60% of Africa's borders are still straight lines—scars of Berlin's arrogance—scars that have spawned wars from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa. Reclaiming Scale, Restoring Dignity The Equal Earth projection is more than geography—it is justice. It restores Africa as the giant it truly is: vast, rich, and unshrinkable. But a map correction alone will not free us. True liberation demands tearing down the colonial borders that still restrict our opportunities and choke our prosperity. Think of the absurdity: in 2025, trucks still queue for 72 hours at artificial checkpoints while Africans are still denied entry to African countries, where Europeans visiting do not require entry visas. How can the African Continental Free Trade Area thrive on such fractured foundations? A New Cartography, A New Urgency The AU's endorsement of Equal Earth echoes the heartbeat of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want—borderless, whole, and strong. But maps alone will not save us. Words alone will not unite us. Action must. Urgency must. Will must. We can and we must! The borders drawn in 1884 were not drawn for Africans; they were drawn against us. If the Mercator map falls, so too must Berlin's borders. At the Africa Prosperity Network, we are committed to mobilising Africa's private sector—the entrepreneurs, the builders, the wealth creators—to own and drive this historic task. Governments may sign protocols, but only Africa's people (over 1.5 billion of us in Africa and across the globe), powered by business, can finally dismantle these invisible chains and make Africa truly borderless. The Call For over 60 years, our leaders have spoken of African unity. Nkrumah called for it. Nyerere warned of the cost of delay. Generations have dreamed it. The time has come for Africa to reclaim its actual size—on the map and in the world—and to erase the borders that constrain us from becoming the economic power we should be. The Mercator map shrank Africa. The Berlin Conference divided Africa. The Equal Earth projection restores Africa. But only Africans can liberate Africa. Let us not correct the map only. Let us correct history. Let us make Africa borderless—now. The author is the Founder and Executive Chairman of the Africa Prosperity Network, organisers of the annual Africa Prosperity Dialogues in Accra and the Global Africa Forum in New York. He is also the Senior Partner of Africa Legal Associates (ALPi Ghana), a Pan-African corporate law firm with offices in 9 African countries. read more Analysis- Turkey Has 0 Regional Allies... Why? Analysis: Russia, Turkey... Libya in Return For Syria? Analysis: Who Will Gain Trump's Peace Plan Fruits? Analysis: Will Turkey's Erdogan Resort to Snap Election? Analysis: What Are Turkey's Aspirations in Iraq? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Mercenaries In Libya... Who Should Be Blamed? Opinion & Analysis Analysis- How 'Libya Nightmare' Takes Erdogan to Algiers Opinion & Analysis Analysis: What Happens After Brexit? Opinion & Analysis Analysis: Strategic Significance of Libya's Sirte, Jufra! 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Morocco World
a day ago
- Politics
- Morocco World
‘Correct The Map': AU Denounces Cartographic Imperialism in Global Fight for Africa's Spatial Justice
Marrakech – For centuries, Africa has been systematically erased through the hegemonic Western cartographic gaze, its territorial vastness deliberately diminished on world maps that perpetuate neocolonial hierarchies and Eurocentric epistemological violence. This geographic subjugation – an insidious form of representational colonization – is finally facing a formidable continental resistance. A newfound quest for dismantling the subtle visual reproduction of Western superiority The African Union (AU) has forcefully thrown its diplomatic weight behind the 'Correct The Map' campaign, a radical decolonial intervention challenging the 16th-century Mercator projection that has methodically misrepresented the continent for over four centuries under the false pretense of scientific neutrality and cartographic objectivity. This map – an artifact of European imperial expansion created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569 – grotesquely hyperinflates regions near the poles like North America and Greenland while severely diminishing Africa and other equatorial territories. The result has been the embedding of these geographical falsifications deep within the global collective consciousness through educational indoctrination, media narratives, and policy frameworks that reproduce Western supremacy. The distortion transcends mere technical manipulation to function as ideological warfare on spatial representation. With its 30.3 million square kilometers, Africa is large enough to fit Greenland fourteen times over. Yet the visually offensive projection masquerading as the world map perniciously suggests that Greenland, despite being of merely 2.16 million square kilometers, is nearly as large as the African continent. This visual erasure reinforces a pernicious narrative of Africa as 'marginal' despite it being the world's second-largest continent with 54 sovereign nations and over one billion people systematically rendered smaller on the world stage. 'It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not,' declared AU Commission Deputy Chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi, articulating how these cartographic misrepresentations have reinforced asymmetrical power relations since the triangular trade era when the Mercator projection facilitated European maritime hegemony, colonial dispossession, and territorial annexation. The 'Correct The Map' campaign is spearheaded by pan-African advocacy collectives Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa. It demands that institutions immediately dismantle this cartographic apparatus of dominance and adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which accurately represents landmasses' true proportions without the Eurocentric distortions that have privileged Western geopolitical narratives and ontological frameworks. 'The current size of the map of Africa is wrong,' asserted Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter with uncompromising clarity. 'It's the world's longest misinformation and disinformation campaign, and it just simply has to stop.' Africa reclaims spatial dignity through cartographic decolonization This cartographic injustice has been institutionalized in classrooms, media representations, and transnational organizations worldwide, normalizing a vision of Africa as spatially insignificant – a visual rhetoric supporting centuries of resource extraction and political marginalization. Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, stressed the profound psychological and cultural violence this misrepresentation inflicts on African identity formation and self-determination. 'We're actively working on promoting a curriculum where the Equal Earth projection will be the main standard across all African classrooms,' she said. This educational intervention seeks to decolonize geographic knowledge, dismantle internalized spatial hierarchies, and restore cartographic justice to Africa's representation in the global imaginary. The AU's unequivocal endorsement signals a continental rejection of geographic imperialism at the highest diplomatic level. Haddadi strategically positioned this support within broader anti-colonial struggles, explicitly stating it aligns with the AU's mission of 'reclaiming Africa's rightful place on the global stage' amid intensifying demands for comprehensive reparations addressing the historical injustices of colonialism, slavery, and continued economic exploitation through unequal exchange. Despite decades of postcolonial critique, the Mercator projection remains deeply entrenched in educational systems and digital platforms worldwide. Google Maps belatedly adopted a 3D globe view on desktop in 2018, yet continues to default to the distorted Mercator projection on mobile applications used by billions daily, perpetuating this geographic misinformation and cognitive imperialism across generations of users. The campaign is now directly confronting major international bodies like the World Bank and United Nations, demanding they abandon these cartographic tools of subordination. While the World Bank claims to be gradually phasing out Mercator on web maps in favor of Equal Earth or Winkel-Tripel projections, implementation remains insufficient and inconsistent across their platforms and publications. Read also: African Integration: Reality and Wishful Thinking A request has been sent to the UN geospatial body, which a UN spokesperson said must be reviewed and approved by a committee of experts once received. This spatial revolution has garnered crucial solidarity beyond Africa's borders. Dorbrene O'Marde, Vice Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission, has forcefully endorsed Equal Earth as an essential rejection of the Mercator map's embedded 'ideology of power and dominance' that has distorted global spatial consciousness for over four centuries, linking this cartographic struggle to broader movements for historical justice across the Global South. The AU is now pledging to aggressively advocate for the immediate and widespread adoption of the Equal Earth projection among its member states and coordinate strategic collective actions to dismantle this persistent legacy of cartographic colonialism. In doing so, the continental body seeks to challenge not just how the world perceives Africa, but how Africa perceives itself after generations of deliberate geographic diminishment and spatial disenfranchisement at the hands of Western mapmakers. This continental mobilization against cartographic misrepresentation stands as a crucial front in the ongoing struggle against epistemological imperialism and the decolonization of knowledge production systems that continue to center Western perspectives while marginalizing African spatial realities and territorial sovereignty. Tags: African mapAfrican Union (AU)
CNN
a day ago
- Politics
- CNN
African Union urges adoption of world map showing continent's true size
The African Union has backed a campaign to end the use by governments and international organizations of the 16th-century Mercator map of the world in favor of one that more accurately displays Africa's size. Created by cartographer Gerardus Mercator for navigation, the projection distorts continent sizes, enlarging areas near the poles like North America and Greenland while shrinking Africa and South America. 'It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not,' AU Commission deputy chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi told Reuters, saying the Mercator fostered a false impression that Africa was 'marginal,' despite being the world's second-largest continent by area, with over a billion people. The AU has 55 member states. Such stereotypes influence media, education and policy, she said. Criticism of the Mercator map is not new, but the 'Correct The Map' campaign led by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa has revived the debate, urging organizations to adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which tries to reflect countries' true sizes. 'The current size of the map of Africa is wrong,' Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter, said. 'It's the world's longest misinformation and disinformation campaign, and it just simply has to stop.' Fara Ndiaye, co-founder of Speak Up Africa, said the Mercator affected Africans' identity and pride, especially children who might encounter it early in school. 'We're actively working on promoting a curriculum where the Equal Earth projection will be the main standard across all (African) classrooms,' Ndiaye said, adding she hoped it would also be the one used by global institutions, including Africa-based ones. Haddadi said the AU endorsed the campaign, adding it aligned with its goal of 'reclaiming Africa's rightful place on the global stage' amid growing calls for reparations for colonialism and slavery. The AU will advocate for wider map adoption and discuss collective actions with member states, Haddadi added. The Mercator projection is still widely used, including by schools and tech companies. Google Maps switched from Mercator on desktop to a 3D globe view in 2018, though users can still switch back to the Mercator if they prefer. On the mobile app, however, the Mercator projection remains the default. 'Correct The Map' wants organizations like the World Bank and the United Nations to adopt the Equal Earth map. A World Bank spokesperson said they already use the Winkel-Tripel or Equal Earth for static maps and are phasing out Mercator on web maps. The campaign said it has sent a request to the UN geospatial body, UN-GGIM. A UN spokesperson said that once received it must be reviewed and approved by a committee of experts. Other regions are backing the AU's efforts. Dorbrene O'Marde, Vice Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Reparations Commission, endorsed Equal Earth as a rejection of Mercator map's 'ideology of power and dominance.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
African Union joins call for true-to-size world map to replace Mercator version
The African Union has backed a campaign to end the use by governments and international organisations of the 16th-century Mercator map of the world in favour of one that more accurately displays Africa's size. Created by the cartographer Gerardus Mercator for navigation, the projection distorts continent sizes, enlarging areas near the poles like North America and Greenland while shrinking Africa and South America. 'It might seem to be just a map, but in reality, it is not,' the African Union Commission deputy chair, Selma Malika Haddadi, told Reuters, saying the Mercator fostered a false impression that Africa was 'marginal', despite being the world's second-largest continent by area, with more than 1 billion people. The union has 55 member states. Such stereotypes influence media, education and policy, she said. Criticism of the Mercator map is not new, but the Correct the Map campaign led by the advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa has revived the debate, urging organisations to adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, which tries to reflect countries' true sizes. 'The current size of the map of Africa is wrong,' said Moky Makura, the executive director of Africa No Filter. 'It's the world's longest misinformation and disinformation campaign, and it just simply has to stop.' Fara Ndiaye, a co-founder of Speak Up Africa, said the Mercator affected Africans' identity and pride, especially children who might encounter it early in school. 'We're actively working on promoting a curriculum where the Equal Earth projection will be the main standard across all [African] classrooms,' Ndiaye said, adding she hoped it would also be the one used by global institutions, including Africa-based ones. Haddadi said the AU endorsed the campaign, adding it aligned with its goal of 'reclaiming Africa's rightful place on the global stage' amid growing calls for reparations for colonialism and slavery. The AU will advocate for wider map adoption and discuss collective actions with member states, Haddadi added. The Mercator projection is still widely used, including by schools and tech companies. Google Maps switched from Mercator on desktop to a 3D globe view in 2018, though users can still switch back to the Mercator if they prefer. Sign up to The Long Wave Nesrine Malik and Jason Okundaye deliver your weekly dose of Black life and culture from around the world after newsletter promotion On the mobile app, however, the Mercator projection remains the default. Correct the Map wants organisations such as the World Bank and the UN to adopt the Equal Earth map. A World Bank spokesperson said it already used the Winkel tripel projection or Equal Earth for static maps and was phasing out Mercator on web maps. The campaign said it had sent a request to the UN geospatial body, UN-GGIM. A UN spokesperson said that once received it must be reviewed and approved by a committee of experts. Other regions are backing the AU's efforts. Dorbrene O'Marde, the vice-chair of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) Reparations Commission, endorsed Equal Earth as a rejection of the Mercator map's 'ideology of power and dominance'.
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
African Union pushes for new world map that reflects the continent's true size
The African Union (AU) has thrown its support behind a campaign to replace the 16th-century Mercator world map with one that more accurately reflects Africa's true size. The African Union supports replacing the Mercator map with a more accurate representation of Africa's size. The Mercator map distorts land sizes, enlarging areas near the poles while minimizing equatorial regions like Africa. Advocacy groups have reignited debate, promoting the Equal Earth projection for a fair depiction of continents. The African Union (AU) has thrown its support behind a campaign to replace the 16th-century Mercator world map with one that more accurately reflects Africa's true size. Originally developed by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator for maritime navigation, the projection distorts land masses, magnifying regions near the poles, such as North America and Greenland, while shrinking Africa and South America, Reuters reported. AU Commission deputy chairperson Selma Malika Haddadi says that while it may appear to be just a map, the Mercator projection perpetuates the false impression that Africa is marginal. In reality, Africa is the world's second-largest continent, home to 54 nations and over a billion people. She said such distortions influence education, media narratives, and policymaking. Correct the Map campaign gains momentum While criticism of the Mercator projection is decades old, the debate has been reignited by the Correct The Map campaign, spearheaded by advocacy groups Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa. The movement urges governments, global institutions, and educators to adopt the 2018 Equal Earth projection, designed to portray the relative sizes of countries and continents more accurately. 'The current size of Africa on the map is wrong. It's the world's longest-running misinformation and disinformation campaign, and it must stop,' said Moky Makura, executive director of Africa No Filter. Haddadi said the AU's endorsement aligns with its broader goal of 'reclaiming Africa's rightful place on the global stage,' as momentum builds for colonial and slavery reparations. The AU plans to push for broader adoption of the Equal Earth map and coordinate action among member states. The Mercator projection remains widely used, including in education and technology. While Google Maps replaced Mercator with a 3D globe view on desktop in 2018, it remains the default on mobile.
