The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed a global shift away from the Mercator map projection in favor of projections that more accurately show Africa's true size. The resolution, led by Togo and backed by the African Union, passed with 164 votes in favor, one against, and six abstentions. The Mercator projection, created in 1569, distorts the relative size of landmasses, enlarging regions near the poles while shrinking those near the equator. The non-binding resolution represents a symbolic step in changing how the world visually represents Africa.
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