The African Union (AU) has called an end to a widely used map that shrinks the African continent. The map is called the Mercator projection. It was created mapmaker Gerardus Mercator 1569. In the 18th century, it became the international standard sailors. It is now the world's most widely used map. However, it does not show the true size different nations. Countries farther away from the Equator look larger than they really are, whereas countries closer the Equator appear smaller. The AU is supporting a campaign called Correct the Map. It is also calling a design that shows the correct size Africa, and of other continents and countries.
The deputy chairperson the AU spoke the Mercator map. She told Reuters: "It might seem to be just a map, but reality, it is not." She said the Mercator gave the impression that Africa was less important. She said Africa is the world's second-largest continent area and has more than one billion people. The executive director the non-profit organization Africa No Filter agreed. She said the Mercator map was "the world's longest misinformation and disinformation campaign and it just simply has to stop". The group Speak Up Africa wants people to use the 2018 Equal Earth map, which "Africa appears 14 times larger than Greenland, as it actually is".
