Basics of Map Projections
- Problem: Earth is a sphere; projecting it on a flat surface distorts shape, size, or distance.
- Types of projections:
- Cylindrical: e.g., Mercator (1569).
- Equal-area: e.g., Peters, Equal Earth.
- Conic, Azimuthal: used for specific purposes.
- Trade-off: No projection can preserve all properties (area, shape, direction, distance) simultaneously.
Relevance : GS 1(Geography)
The Mercator Projection (1569)
- Inventor: Gerardus Mercator (Flemish cartographer, mathematician).
- Purpose: Aid navigation → preserved angles and directions, crucial for sailors using straight-line (rhumb line) courses.
- Method: Projected Earth’s surface onto a cylinder → expanded distances away from equator.
- Adoption: Became standard in navigation and later in classroom atlases, textbooks, and wall maps.
The Distortion Problem
- Effect on Continents:
- Areas near poles (e.g., Greenland, Europe, North America) appear much larger than reality.
- Equatorial/tropical regions (e.g., Africa, South America) appear smaller than actual size.
- Example:
- Greenland ≈ same size as Congo on Mercator, but in reality, Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland.
- Africa appears ~2/3 its true size.
- Result: Creates a Eurocentric worldview, exaggerating the size and importance of the Global North.
Alternative Projections
- Peters Projection (1970s): Equal-area; accurately represents size but distorts shapes.
- Equal Earth Projection (2018): Supported by AU; balances area and shape, showing Africa in correct proportion.
- Gall-Peters Projection: Promoted in schools for educational equity.
African Union’s Stand
- Reason: Mercator projection symbolises colonial bias → enlarged Europe, diminished Africa.
- AU demand: Replace Mercator with Equal Earth or Peters projection for maps in UN, schools, international organisations.
- Political symbolism: Reclaim Africa’s “rightful place on the global stage.”
Broader Implications
- Historical:
- Mercator maps used during European colonial expansion.
- Supported “Scramble for Africa” by making the continent look smaller, less significant, and easier to partition.
- Cultural:
- Shapes global perception → reinforces Northern dominance and Southern inferiority.
- Educational:
- Textbooks with Mercator maps embed subconscious bias in young minds.
- Geopolitical:
- Correcting the map is part of decolonising knowledge systems and reshaping global narratives.
Why This Matters Today
- Perception shapes power: Maps influence how societies value regions.
- Equity in representation: Giving Africa accurate size highlights its importance (2nd largest continent, vast resources, demographic dividend).
- Decolonisation movement: Fits within wider global push to challenge Eurocentric narratives in history, education, and international institutions.
