Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa have come together to launch the Correct the Map campaign, aiming to address the long-standing issue of Africa being misrepresented in global maps. The Mercator map, widely used across the world, inaccurately depicts Africa’s size, diminishing its true scale and significance on the global stage.
Despite Africa covering a massive 30.37 million square kilometers—large enough to accommodate the United States, China, India, and most of Europe combined—the Mercator projection diminishes the continent’s size, leading to a skewed perception of its importance. Originally designed for 16th-century maritime navigation, the map distorts the size of continents, artificially enlarging Global North regions while minimizing Africa’s true proportions.
The Correct the Map campaign advocates for the adoption of the Equal Earth map projection, which provides a more accurate representation of global geography. By calling on international organizations like the UN, World Bank, and BBC to switch to this fairer projection, the campaign aims to correct the narrative surrounding Africa’s size and significance.
Through a global petition and campaign charter, the initiative encourages institutions, educators, and media platforms to commit to using maps that accurately depict Africa’s true size. Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter, emphasizes the importance of addressing this issue, stating that misrepresenting Africa on world maps is not just a cartographic error but a narrative problem that downplays the continent’s importance.
Yacine Djibo, Founder and Executive Director of Speak Up Africa, highlights the impact of using a false reference point when making decisions about Africa’s economic, political, and developmental future. It is crucial to portray Africa as it truly is to ensure that decisions are based on accurate information rather than a centuries-old distortion.
To support the Correct the Map campaign, individuals can sign the petition on Change.org and follow the campaign online through the official website. It is time to rectify the misrepresentation of Africa on world maps and reshape the narrative to reflect the continent’s true size and significance on the global stage.
