A new campaign, supported by the African Union, is challenging the way Africa is represented on world maps and Africa’s true size. Called “Correct the Map!”, it aims to highlight the continent’s immense size, which has long been distorted in traditional cartography.
For over 450 years, the Mercator projection—a map designed for navigation—has skewed the proportions of continents, making Africa appear far smaller than it actually is. In fact, on many maps, Africa looks roughly the same size as Greenland, when in reality it is 14 times larger.
The initiative, led by organizations advocating for Africa’s visibility, promotes the use of more accurate map projections, such as the Equal Earth Map. By doing so, it seeks to reshape global perceptions and offer a fairer understanding of Africa’s geographic, educational, and economic significance.
“Correct the Map!” is more than a cartographic campaign; it is a call for justice in representation, ensuring that Africa’s true scale is recognized worldwide.