"Is Norway larger than Somalia?"... The issue raised by Africa regarding distorted world maps

Points have been raised that the world maps we commonly encounter in textbooks or Google Maps seriously distort actual national areas. In particular, countries in Africa and Latin America near the equator are drawn much smaller than they actually are compared to northern hemisphere countries, leading to international movements to correct this.

The 'Mercator projection' born for navigation, the cause of area distortion

The world map we use most familiarly is based on the 'Mercator projection' created by the Dutch cartographer Gerardus Mercator in 1569. According to a video from the YouTube channel 'Understanding: All the Knowledge in the World', this map was designed for the convenience of navigators during the Age of Discovery in the 16th century. When transferring the round Earth to a flat surface, the intervals were mathematically increased toward the top so that drawing a straight line on the map would match the compass angle. While it was an innovative tool for navigators who needed to maintain accurate direction and angles, it resulted in area distortion as a price.

Because the Earth is spherical, something must be sacrificed to contain it on a flat piece of paper. In cartography, this is called 'Projection,' and in the process of spreading a 3D spherical space onto a 2D plane, one or more of shape, area, distance, or direction must inevitably be distorted. Instead of choosing the accuracy of direction, the Mercator projection gained the characteristic of having its area significantly inflated the further one moves from the equator. Due to this, northern hemisphere countries such as Greenland, Canada, and Russia appear much larger than they actually are, while countries near the equator, such as Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, are depicted as relatively small.

The video explained that although the actual area of Africa is about 14 times larger than Greenland, the distortion is so severe that the two regions appear similar on existing maps. Furthermore, the area of Canada is approximately 9.98 million km², and the African continent is about 3 times larger than Canada. As an example to help feel the actual scale of the African continent, the video mentioned that even if you put the United States, China, India, some European countries, and even Japan inside Africa, there would still be space left.

"Is Norway larger than Somalia?"... The optical illusion created by maps

The video presented several examples to show the cognitive distortion created by the Mercator projection. According to the presenter's explanation, on the map, Norway looks about 2.5 times larger than Somalia, but in reality, Somalia is 2 times larger than Norway. Also, Thailand's actual area is 58% wider than Norway's, but on the map, Norway is drawn much larger. Madagascar, an island in Africa, also appears 2.7 times larger than Finland on the map, but in reality, Madagascar is about 74% larger than Finland.

This distortion goes beyond a simple visual problem and can influence the perception of a nation's scale and importance. The video compared this to "being 185cm tall but appearing as 170cm when photographed with a certain phone," pointing out that the potential and value of certain countries are not being properly represented on maps. Since the web-based default maps we currently use, such as Google Maps or Apple Maps, all use the Mercator projection, this cognitive distortion has become a reason for it to remain deeply embedded in the public mind for a long time.

Africa's 'Correct the Map' movement and geopolitical meaning

African countries are raising issues regarding this distortion. African Union nations, including Togo, have even proposed an agenda named 'Correct the Map' to the United Nations General Assembly. They argue that Mercator-style maps reinforce a perspective centered on powerful nations and make Africa perceived as a relatively small and peripheral entity. There is also a view that this is connected to the remnants of the colonial era and deepens the imbalance of geopolitical power. Although the time of the Mercator projection's creation and the period of the colonial partition of Africa do not coincide, it is based on the perception that maps have been closely linked to power and geopolitical strength throughout history.

The video analyzed that while changing the map does not immediately change Africa's economic reality, a change in the world map could symbolize a change in the international order. In particular, as Africa is projected to account for about one-fourth of the world's population by around 2050, the movement to reflect their actual scale and importance in international standards is expected to hold significant meaning in conjunction with future changes in international political and economic status.