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African Union Campaigns to 'Correct the Map' of Africa
The African Union backs a campaign to replace the Mercator map projection, which makes Africa appear fourteen times smaller than its actual size compared to Greenland, arguing it distorts the continent's identity and should be replaced with a more accurate projection like Equal Earth.
- How does the inaccurate depiction of Africa's size on the commonly used Mercator projection map impact the continent's global perception and its people's sense of identity?
- The widely used Mercator projection map misrepresents the size of Africa, making it appear fourteen times smaller than its actual size compared to Greenland. This has prompted the African Union to support the 'Correct the Map' campaign, advocating for a more accurate representation of Africa's size on world maps. The campaign argues that the current map distorts the continent's identity and diminishes the pride of Africans, particularly among children.
- What are the potential long-term consequences of adopting the Equal Earth projection, considering its implications for education, global politics, and navigation technologies?
- The push to replace the Mercator projection with alternatives like the Equal Earth projection signifies a growing awareness of the inherent biases in cartographic representations. The adoption of a new projection could foster a more equitable global perspective, but widespread change remains uncertain given the entrenched use of Mercator in navigation systems. Future discussions will need to balance the need for accurate size representation with the practical requirements of navigation.
- What historical and cultural factors influenced the development and widespread adoption of the Mercator projection, despite its known inaccuracies in representing landmass areas?
- The Mercator projection, while useful for navigation, significantly distorts the area of landmasses depending on their latitude. This distortion disproportionately affects countries near the equator, like those in Africa, making them appear smaller than they are in reality. The African Union's endorsement of the 'Correct the Map' campaign highlights the political and cultural implications of map projections, revealing how cartographic choices can reflect power dynamics and shape perceptions.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the issue primarily from the perspective of the African Union and the campaign to 'Correct the Map'. While acknowledging the historical context of mapmaking, it emphasizes the perceived injustice of the Mercator projection's distortion of Africa's size. This framing might unintentionally downplay the practical advantages of the Mercator projection for navigation and its widespread use.
Language Bias
The article uses relatively neutral language throughout. While it describes the Mercator projection as resulting in Africa appearing "onbeduidend" (insignificant), this is presented as a consequence of the projection's inherent properties rather than a deliberate attempt to marginalize Africa. No loaded language or overtly biased terminology is employed.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the historical evolution of mapmaking, particularly the Mercator projection and its impact on the perception of Africa's size. While it mentions alternative projections like Gall-Peters and Equal Earth, it doesn't delve into the potential biases embedded within these alternatives or explore other map projections that might offer different perspectives. The discussion of bias is largely limited to the impact of the Mercator projection and the campaign to 'Correct the Map'. This omission prevents a full exploration of the multifaceted nature of mapmaking bias.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a false dichotomy by framing the debate as a choice between the Mercator projection and the Equal Earth projection. It implies that using Equal Earth would automatically correct the perceived bias, overlooking the inherent complexities and potential biases present in all map projections. There are many other map projections besides these two, each with its own strengths and weaknesses and potential to create bias.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights how the Mercator projection, commonly used in world maps, distorts the size of continents, particularly Africa, making it appear smaller than it actually is. This distortion perpetuates a skewed perception of global power dynamics and resource distribution, disproportionately impacting African countries. Advocating for alternative projections like Equal Earth aims to address this visual misrepresentation, fostering a more accurate understanding of global proportions and potentially contributing to fairer resource allocation and international cooperation. The campaign to correct the map is directly related to SDG 10 which aims to reduce inequality within and among countries. By visually representing the true size of Africa, this campaign challenges existing power imbalances and promotes more equitable global representation.