The Equal Earth Map
Geography · Monday, 7 September 2026
The UN General Assembly passed the Correct the Map resolution, formally endorsing adoption of the Equal Earth projection. The 2018 equal-area pseudocylindrical projection preserves relative landmass sizes while seeking more recognizable continental outlines than earlier equal-area maps.
Quick highlights
- The UN General Assembly adopted the Correct the Map resolution with 164 votes in favour, 1 against and 6 abstentions.
- Equal Earth is an equal-area pseudocylindrical world map projection.
- It was created in 2018 by Bojan Šavrič, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny.
- Mercator preserves local shapes and angles but severely distorts areas near the poles.
- Africa is actually about 14 times larger than Greenland.
Context
The United Nations General Assembly passed the Correct the Map resolution with 164 votes in favour, 1 against and 6 abstentions, formally endorsing adoption of the Equal Earth projection.
Key Facts
Equal Earth is an equal-area pseudocylindrical projection created in 2018 by Bojan Šavrič, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny. It preserves relative surface areas accurately while using visually recognizable continental outlines inspired by the aesthetic curvature of the Robinson projection.
Significance
The projection addresses the underrepresentation of equatorial and Global South regions caused by severe area distortion in Mercator maps. It can provide a more realistic reference frame for geography, resource distribution and climate vulnerability.
Challenges / Way Forward
Every map projection involves trade-offs. The source contrasts Equal Earth's equal-area objective with Mercator's conformal preservation of local shapes, angles and rhumb lines, while noting that earlier equal-area projections such as Gall-Peters heavily distorted continental shapes.
Exam Angle
Important for Prelims and GS Paper I: map projections, equal-area projections, conformal projections, pseudocylindrical maps, Mercator, Gall-Peters, Robinson projection and cartographic distortion.
Remember this
- Equal Earth was created in 2018.
- Its creators are Bojan Šavrič, Tom Patterson and Bernhard Jenny.
- It is an equal-area pseudocylindrical world map projection.
- The Correct the Map resolution received 164 votes in favour, 1 against and 6 abstentions.
- Mercator was formulated in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator.
- Mercator is conformal and preserves local shapes, angles and rhumb lines.
- Africa is about 14 times larger than Greenland.
- Equal Earth can use different central meridians.