The Ministry of External Affairs issued a clarification on Sunday that India has voted in favour of a UN resolution titled "Correct the Map" but firmly drew a red line that any particular map must strictly adhere to its international boundaries, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as projected in India's official territorial maps.In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India voted in favour of the resolution and also made an explanation of the vote, stressing the underlying principle of promoting equal - area cartographic representation. We also highlighted that the resolution does not constitute endorsement of any specific map, projection or depiction of national boundaries. India’s sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be depicted in accordance with India’s official map. Any inaccurate or misleading depiction is unacceptable. Our position on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is clear, consistent and non-negotiable.”The Government of India maintains that its official UN map must display the entire area of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas currently administered by Pakistan and China.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sarah-khalifa-death-sentence-egypt-drug-case-1788703881351">Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in major drug case</a>“Its purpose is to encourage the use of equal-area map projections that preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses. The resolution neither adopts nor authenticates any particular world map, nor does it address political cartography, including international boundaries, disputed territories or place names,” added Jaiswal.On September 4, 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at replacing the traditional Mercator projection with equal-area world maps. While the 16th-century Mercator projection retains usefulness for navigation, its visual representation heavily exaggerates landmasses near the poles while visually shrinking equatorial regions such as Africa and South America. This change is designed to represent the true relative proportions of continents, particularly accurately depicting the size of Africa. The resolution was supported by 164 countries, while the United States voted against it, and six other nations – Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine – &nbsp;abstained.

India voted for the UN’s ‘Correct the Map’ resolution but stressed that J&K and Ladakh must be shown according to India’s official territorial map.

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a clarification on Sunday that India has voted in favour of a UN resolution titled "Correct the Map" but firmly drew a red line that any particular map must strictly adhere to its international boundaries, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as projected in India's official territorial maps. In a statement, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “India voted in favour of the resolution and also made an explanation of the vote, stressing the underlying principle of promoting equal - area cartographic representation. We also highlighted that the resolution does not constitute endorsement of any specific map, projection or depiction of national boundaries. India’s sovereign territory, including the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, must be depicted in accordance with India’s official map. Any inaccurate or misleading depiction is unacceptable. Our position on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is clear, consistent and non-negotiable.” The Government of India maintains that its official UN map must display the entire area of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, including the areas currently administered by Pakistan and China. Also Read: Egyptian TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in major drug case “Its purpose is to encourage the use of equal-area map projections that preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses. The resolution neither adopts nor authenticates any particular world map, nor does it address political cartography, including international boundaries, disputed territories or place names,” added Jaiswal. On September 4, 2026, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at replacing the traditional Mercator projection with equal-area world maps. While the 16th-century Mercator projection retains usefulness for navigation, its visual representation heavily exaggerates landmasses near the poles while visually shrinking equatorial regions such as Africa and South America. This change is designed to represent the true relative proportions of continents, particularly accurately depicting the size of Africa. The resolution was supported by 164 countries, while the United States voted against it, and six other nations – Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine – abstained.

India voted for the UN’s ‘Correct the Map’ resolution but stressed that J&amp;K and Ladakh must be shown according to India’s official territorial map.

India backs UN ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, draws red line on J&K, Ladakh

The United Nations voted on Friday (Sep 4) to adopt the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, led and sponsored by Togo. With a positive response from 164 countries,&nbsp;Flemish geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator published a landmark map that will soon be phased out of offices, schools and the atlas, a word coined by him. Mercator in 1569 published the map that would fundamentally alter global navigation and forever change how humanity visualises planet Earth. Nearly five centuries later, his revolutionary grid system known as the Mercator projection remains the backbone of modern web mapping and maritime navigation.&nbsp;<h2>About Mercator</h2>&nbsp;Born Geert De Kremer in 1512 in Rupelmonde, County of Flanders, Mercator was a polymath who combined mathematical precision with artistic engraving. Beyond designing mathematical instruments and terrestrial globes, he was the first cartographer to coin the term ‘atlas’ to describe a bound collection of maps. However, his most enduring legacy grew out of a practical crisis facing 16th-century sea captains during the Age of Discovery.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-to-correct-world-map-that-visually-shrank-africa-for-450-years-1788579306430">UN votes to correct world map that visually shrank Africa for 450 years</a><h2>Solving the Navigator's Dilemma</h2>During the 1500s, transoceanic travel was perilous. Navigating a spherical Earth on a flat piece of paper created serious geometric errors. Ships attempting to sail long distances following straight lines drawn on traditional charts drifted dangerously off course, as straight lines did not align with constant compass directions.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-to-correct-the-map-as-india-backs-fairer-world-view-1788587948849">UN votes to 'correct the map' as India backs fairer world view</a>&nbsp;Mercator solved this mathematical puzzle by projecting the spherical globe onto a seamless cylinder. By establishing a conformal grid where lines of latitude and longitude intersect at exact 90-degree right angles, he created a map where any straight line drawn between two points represents a constant compass heading, mathematically termed a rhumb line or loxodrome.&nbsp;With this, the sailor could draw a straight line from Europe to the Americas, hold the compass at that fixed angle, and eventually reach their destination.<h3>Distortion at the Poles</h3>&nbsp;While Mercator's mathematical grid preserved shapes and local angles, it introduced severe spatial tradeoffs. To keep latitude and longitude lines as a uniform grid, the distance between parallels had to expand exponentially as map coordinates moved away from the Equator toward the North and South Poles.&nbsp;This design creates drastic area distortion. On a standard Mercator chart, Greenland appears roughly equal in size to the entire continent of Africa. In reality, Africa is roughly 14 times larger. High-latitude regions, including North America, Europe, Russia, and Antarctica, appear disproportionately massive compared to equatorial landmasses like South America, Central Africa, and India.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The UN General Assembly voted 164–1 to adopt the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, phasing out Gerardus Mercator’s 1569 projection in favour of the 2018 Equal Earth design to accurately display Africa's true size. The US cast the sole opposing vote.

The United Nations voted on Friday (Sep 4) to adopt the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, led and sponsored by Togo. With a positive response from 164 countries, Flemish geographer and cartographer Gerardus Mercator published a landmark map that will soon be phased out of offices, schools and the atlas, a word coined by him. Mercator in 1569 published the map that would fundamentally alter global navigation and forever change how humanity visualises planet Earth. Nearly five centuries later, his revolutionary grid system known as the Mercator projection remains the backbone of modern web mapping and maritime navigation. About Mercator Born Geert De Kremer in 1512 in Rupelmonde, County of Flanders, Mercator was a polymath who combined mathematical precision with artistic engraving. Beyond designing mathematical instruments and terrestrial globes, he was the first cartographer to coin the term ‘atlas’ to describe a bound collection of maps. However, his most enduring legacy grew out of a practical crisis facing 16th-century sea captains during the Age of Discovery. Also read: UN votes to correct world map that visually shrank Africa for 450 years Solving the Navigator's Dilemma During the 1500s, transoceanic travel was perilous. Navigating a spherical Earth on a flat piece of paper created serious geometric errors. Ships attempting to sail long distances following straight lines drawn on traditional charts drifted dangerously off course, as straight lines did not align with constant compass directions. Also read: UN votes to 'correct the map' as India backs fairer world view Mercator solved this mathematical puzzle by projecting the spherical globe onto a seamless cylinder. By establishing a conformal grid where lines of latitude and longitude intersect at exact 90-degree right angles, he created a map where any straight line drawn between two points represents a constant compass heading, mathematically termed a rhumb line or loxodrome. With this, the sailor could draw a straight line from Europe to the Americas, hold the compass at that fixed angle, and eventually reach their destination. Distortion at the Poles While Mercator's mathematical grid preserved shapes and local angles, it introduced severe spatial tradeoffs. To keep latitude and longitude lines as a uniform grid, the distance between parallels had to expand exponentially as map coordinates moved away from the Equator toward the North and South Poles. This design creates drastic area distortion. On a standard Mercator chart, Greenland appears roughly equal in size to the entire continent of Africa. In reality, Africa is roughly 14 times larger. High-latitude regions, including North America, Europe, Russia, and Antarctica, appear disproportionately massive compared to equatorial landmasses like South America, Central Africa, and India.

The UN General Assembly voted 164–1 to adopt the ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, phasing out Gerardus Mercator’s 1569 projection in favour of the 2018 Equal Earth design to accurately display Africa's true size. The US cast the sole opposing vote.

He named the ‘atlas’ and shrank Africa: UN votes to phase out Mercator’s map

The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to encourage a shift away from the familiar Mercator world map towards projections that show continents closer to their true size. The non-binding “Correct the Map” resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members, passed 164-1 on Friday, with six abstentions. The United States cast the only no vote. For more than four centuries the Mercator projection has been the default classroom and newsroom map. It keeps compass bearings straight, useful for sailors, but stretches land near the poles. Greenland can look as large as Africa. Africa is in fact about 14 times bigger.&nbsp;India voted in favour. Indian Diplomat Raghoo Puri told the Assembly the delegation welcomed the aim of more accurate, representative maps. “Maps play an important role in how societies understand geography and the relative scale of the world around us,” he said. But New Delhi's backing came with a caveat. The resolution, Puri argued, should be read as support for equal-area projections in general , maps that keep the relative size of landmasses honest, not as an endorsement of the 2018 Equal Earth projection or any single design.&nbsp;“Equal area projections are particularly relevant because they preserve the relative sizes or areas of continental and territorial landmasses,” he said. “This can help address distortions in perceived landmass size.” Different jobs need different maps, he added. No one projection fits every purpose. The text should stay “technological and methodological neutral,” leaving countries, schools and cartographers free to choose.&nbsp;ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-iran-s-pickaxe-mountain-that-trump-has-again-threatened-to-bomb-1788585763463">What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain that Trump has again threatened to bomb?</a>&nbsp;India’s position, he pointed, was limited to “the principle of encouraging equal area approaches, where the objective is to preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses.” That, he said, met the resolution’s goal without favouring one method. “India has therefore voted in favor of this resolution.”&nbsp;The resolution does not ban Mercator. Navigators can still use it. It urges schools, media, governments and tech firms to prefer equal-area maps when size comparisons matter. France has already said it will drop Mercator in official materials. The African Union adopted Equal Earth earlier this year. Washington called the vote a distraction from peace and prosperity and linked it to a “radical ideological project.” Six countries, several in Eastern Europe, abstained.&nbsp;Over time the vote is likely to filter into textbooks, news graphics and digital maps. Children in India and elsewhere may grow up seeing Africa as the vast continent it is.

India voted in favour as Indian Diplomat Raghoo Puri told the Assembly the delegation welcomed the aim of more accurate, representative maps. 

The United Nations General Assembly has voted overwhelmingly to encourage a shift away from the familiar Mercator world map towards projections that show continents closer to their true size. The non-binding “Correct the Map” resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members, passed 164-1 on Friday, with six abstentions. The United States cast the only no vote. For more than four centuries the Mercator projection has been the default classroom and newsroom map. It keeps compass bearings straight, useful for sailors, but stretches land near the poles. Greenland can look as large as Africa. Africa is in fact about 14 times bigger. India voted in favour. Indian Diplomat Raghoo Puri told the Assembly the delegation welcomed the aim of more accurate, representative maps. “Maps play an important role in how societies understand geography and the relative scale of the world around us,” he said. But New Delhi's backing came with a caveat. The resolution, Puri argued, should be read as support for equal-area projections in general , maps that keep the relative size of landmasses honest, not as an endorsement of the 2018 Equal Earth projection or any single design. “Equal area projections are particularly relevant because they preserve the relative sizes or areas of continental and territorial landmasses,” he said. “This can help address distortions in perceived landmass size.” Different jobs need different maps, he added. No one projection fits every purpose. The text should stay “technological and methodological neutral,” leaving countries, schools and cartographers free to choose. ALSO READ: What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain that Trump has again threatened to bomb? India’s position, he pointed, was limited to “the principle of encouraging equal area approaches, where the objective is to preserve the relative sizes of continental landmasses.” That, he said, met the resolution’s goal without favouring one method. “India has therefore voted in favor of this resolution.” The resolution does not ban Mercator. Navigators can still use it. It urges schools, media, governments and tech firms to prefer equal-area maps when size comparisons matter. France has already said it will drop Mercator in official materials. The African Union adopted Equal Earth earlier this year. Washington called the vote a distraction from peace and prosperity and linked it to a “radical ideological project.” Six countries, several in Eastern Europe, abstained. Over time the vote is likely to filter into textbooks, news graphics and digital maps. Children in India and elsewhere may grow up seeing Africa as the vast continent it is.

India voted in favour as Indian Diplomat Raghoo Puri told the Assembly the delegation welcomed the aim of more accurate, representative maps.&nbsp;

UN votes to ‘correct the map’ as India backs fairer world view

The United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the "Correct the Map" resolution led and sponsored by Togo on Friday (Sep 4). For centuries, standard world maps visually shrunk the true size of Africa. Now, 164 countries have voted in favour of introducing a map that accurately depicts the region's scale, with the United States casting the sole opposing vote. In a session held at the UN headquarters in New York, the UNGA officially moved away from the 16th-century Mercator projection in favour of the 2018 Equal Earth design.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Mercator projection, created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569, was originally designed for maritime navigation because it preserved linear directions. However, its mathematical formula heavily distorts the size of landmasses as they stretch toward the poles. As a result, standard classroom and digital maps have long depicted Greenland as roughly the same size as Africa, despite Africa being more than 14 times larger (30.3 million square kilometers compared to Greenland's 2.1 million).&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-votes-to-correct-the-map-as-india-backs-fairer-world-view-1788587948849">UN votes to 'correct the map' as India backs fairer world view</a> Supporters of the ‘Correct the Map’ initiative argued that centuries of Mercator-based cartography fostered a subtle form of visual bias, subconsciously diminishing the perceived geopolitical and demographic weight of the Global South. The resolution urges member nations, educational publishers, and digital platform providers to transition to equal-area projections in all public, academic, and administrative uses.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/around-90-per-cent-of-people-have-at-least-one-bias-against-women-un-report-603527">Around 90% of people have at least one bias against women: UN report</a>&nbsp;The Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018 by cartographers Bojan Savric, Tom Patterson, and Bernhard Jenny, was chosen for its ability to maintain accurate relative land areas while preserving visually accurate continent outlines. Unlike rectangular cylindrical maps, Equal Earth offers a curved frame that avoids severe distortion at higher latitudes while representing Africa, South America, and Asia at their true relative scale.&nbsp;

The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to phase out the 1569 Mercator map projection in favor of the Equal Earth map. Learn how the new map accurately reflects Africa's true size after 450 years of distortion. 

The United Nations General Assembly voted to adopt the "Correct the Map" resolution led and sponsored by Togo on Friday (Sep 4). For centuries, standard world maps visually shrunk the true size of Africa. Now, 164 countries have voted in favour of introducing a map that accurately depicts the region's scale, with the United States casting the sole opposing vote. In a session held at the UN headquarters in New York, the UNGA officially moved away from the 16th-century Mercator projection in favour of the 2018 Equal Earth design. The Mercator projection, created by Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569, was originally designed for maritime navigation because it preserved linear directions. However, its mathematical formula heavily distorts the size of landmasses as they stretch toward the poles. As a result, standard classroom and digital maps have long depicted Greenland as roughly the same size as Africa, despite Africa being more than 14 times larger (30.3 million square kilometers compared to Greenland's 2.1 million). Also read: UN votes to 'correct the map' as India backs fairer world view Supporters of the ‘Correct the Map’ initiative argued that centuries of Mercator-based cartography fostered a subtle form of visual bias, subconsciously diminishing the perceived geopolitical and demographic weight of the Global South. The resolution urges member nations, educational publishers, and digital platform providers to transition to equal-area projections in all public, academic, and administrative uses. Also read: Around 90% of people have at least one bias against women: UN report The Equal Earth projection, developed in 2018 by cartographers Bojan Savric, Tom Patterson, and Bernhard Jenny, was chosen for its ability to maintain accurate relative land areas while preserving visually accurate continent outlines. Unlike rectangular cylindrical maps, Equal Earth offers a curved frame that avoids severe distortion at higher latitudes while representing Africa, South America, and Asia at their true relative scale.

The UN General Assembly has voted 164–1 to phase out the 1569 Mercator map projection in favour of the Equal Earth map. Learn how the new map accurately reflects Africa's true size after 450 years of distortion.

UN votes to correct world map that visually shrank Africa for 450 years

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India backs UN ‘Correct the Map’ resolution, draws red line on J&K, Ladakh

Mercator coined the word ‘atlas.’ Now, UN is phasing out his world map

UN votes to ‘correct the map’ as India backs fairer world view

UN votes to correct world map that visually shrank Africa for 450 years