The Mercator projection was developed in 1569 by Gerardus Mercator primarily to aid sailors in navigation. Its major innovation was representing lines of constant compass bearing as straight lines, which made plotting a course across the seas much simpler and more reliable.
The biggest limitation of the Mercator map is its size distortion. Countries and continents near the poles appear much larger than they actually are. For instance, Greenland looks bigger than Africa, when in reality Africa is about 14 times larger. This misrepresentation can create misleading perceptions about the true size of landmasses.
The Equal Earth projection is a modern alternative designed to show the correct relative sizes of all continents and countries. Unlike the Mercator projection, it ensures that no landmass is inaccurately enlarged or shrunk, providing a more truthful and visually balanced representation of the world.
It is impossible to flatten a sphere like Earth onto a two-dimensional surface without introducing some distortion. All map projections involve trade-offs — they may distort the size, shape, distance, or direction of geographic features. Cartographers choose projections depending on whether they prioritize navigation, area accuracy, or visual aesthetics.
The “Correct the Map” campaign is a global initiative supported by organizations such as the United Nations. It promotes the use of accurate map projections, like the Equal Earth projection, in schools, media, and public platforms to encourage a more truthful understanding of the world’s geography.
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