The Equal Earth map projection is an equal-area pseudocylindrical global map projection invented by Bojan Šavrič, Bernhard Jenny, and Tom Patterson in 2018. It is inspired by the widely used Robinson projection, but unlike the Robinson projection, it retains the relative size of areas. The projection equations are simple to implement and fast to evaluate. The United Nations General Assembly voted on a resolution to encourage the use of the equal-area projections in September 2026. The resolution specifically noted the Equal Earth projection, which is expected to affect educational and technological applications.
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Characteristics and purpose
The projection was created in response to the decision of the Boston Public Schools to adopt the Gall–Peters projection for world maps in March 2017 to accurately show the relative sizes of equatorial and non-equatorial regions. The decision generated controversy in the world of cartography due to that projection's extreme distortion in the polar regions. At that time, Šavrič, Jenny, and Patterson sought alternative map projections of equal areas for world maps, but could not find any that met their aesthetic criteria. Therefore, they created a new projection that had more visual appeal compared to existing projections of equal areas.
One result of using any equal-area projection is to improve representation of developing countries near the equator, particularly in Africa, compared to the distorted relative sizes of the countries on non–equal-area projections. For example, on the Mercator projection, Greenland appears to be larger than the whole of Africa, when in reality it only has 7% of the total land area of Africa. These incorrect proportions can lead to misrepresentation of the effects of communicable diseases. Equal-area projections do not cause that problem, but they do distort the shape of the continents. As an equal-area projection, the Equal Earth projection precisely represents the true area of each country.
Formulation
As with the earlier Natural Earth projection (2012) introduced by Patterson, a visual method was used to choose the parameters of the projection. A combination of Putniņš P4ʹ and Eckert IV projections was used as the basis. Mathematical formulas for the projection were derived from a polynomial used to define the spacing of parallels. The projection is formulated as the equations:
x
=
2
3
λ
cos
θ
3
(
9
A
4
θ
8
+
7
A
3
θ
6
+
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A
2
θ
2
+
A
1
)
y
Use
One of the first known thematic map published using the Equal Earth projection is a map of the global mean temperature anomaly for July 2018, produced by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
An Equal Earth Political Wall Map by Tom Patterson, designed for schools and organisations is labelled using United States Central Intelligence Agency map data with the Central Intelligence Agency political map as the primary reference. Countries are mostly the same as US government maps; however, Patterson made changes in the depiction of Myanmar (and Naypyidaw), Taiwan (and Taipei), Western Sahara (Western Sahara conflict), depiction of Crimea, a border between Kenya and South Sudan, and boundaries between China, India, and Pakistan.
Software support
OpenStreetMap-based maps can be created using Equal Earth projections. To view maps without coordinate calculations, vector tiles can be produced in Equal Earth projection on a Equal Earth Greenwich grid (centred on Greenwich) to be addressed using a Web Mercator grid. Mapbox supports the equalearth projection. Esri tools support Equal Earth projection.
Maps with Equal Earth projection can be centred on meridians other than the Prime meridian (London), but Africa is usually shown in the centre. Esri ArcGIS Pro 3.7 has False Easting, False Northing and Central Meridian as available parameters. As of September 2026, Mapbox only supports the central meridian fixed at the Prime meridian (Greenwich).
'Correct The Map' campaign
The Correct the Map campaign calls for adopting the Equal Earth projection for world maps, instead of the widely used Mercator projection. The campaign was started by Africa No Filter and Speak Up Africa. As of August 2025 it was backed by the African Union, Speak Up Africa, Africa No Filter, and the Caribbean Community. For the African Union, a change in map projection was a change to influence how people "view, talk about and value Africa". The campaign calls on the United Nations, World Bank, and BBC to "adopt the Equal Earth projection in their data, reports, and materials that include world maps".
United Nations resolution
On September 4, 2026, the text to the Correct the Map resolution was adopted at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The resolution was to encourage the world to phase out the Mercator projection in favour of the Equal Earth projection and other equal-area projections. UN resolutions are non-enforceable and use of the projection is not mandated, and other projections are not banned.
Of the 193 member states of the United Nations, 164 voted in favour of the resolution, six abstained (Estonia, Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine), and one voted against (United States). The resolution was put forward by African Union member states and The Bahamas. Togo asked UN member states to adopt the map in April 2026. A draft resolution was created and the United Nations General Assembly held consultations in July 2026.
The resolution links more accurate maps to "cognitive justice, historical recognition and equitable representation". Equal-area projections depict Africa, Latin America, South Asia and Oceania (including Australia) much larger, and the United States and Russia smaller.
The Guardian wrote the outcome was expected to result in the update of education curriculums and general technology.
The Agence France-Presse published a handout map, cited by news agencies as a "handout graphic by Equal Earth", "AFP/Handout/Equal Earth" or "the new map".
The United States opposed the resolution, stating it promoted an "ideological agenda" and that "it cannot be separated from the much larger and more radical ideological project it belongs to". The Australian Broadcasting Corporation said the US "slammed the resolution".
Ukraine abstained from the vote, taking issue with the fact that maps published on equal-earth.com using the Equal Earth projection depicted Crimea in a different color from Ukraine. Ukrainian representative Andriy Melnyk said that this was inconsistent with the UN's "non-recognition of the attempted illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014" and "wholly unacceptable". Speaking on behalf of the European Union, the representative for Ireland noted that the resolution "neither addresses nor affects questions relating to sovereignty, territorial status, delimitation, or the internationally recognized borders of States", nor does it "endorse any specific website, such as equal-earth.com, including the maps contained therein". The vote does not establish a single mandatory map for the United Nations.
Distortion of shapes
The authors of the Equal Earth projection paper stated equal-area projections such as Equal Earth are not the panacea many organisations think, as continental shapes are impacted. Equal Earth was developed as an alternative to other equal-area projections for situations when an equal-area map must be used.
Alternatives
The Winkel tripel projection has more accurate shapes than Equal Earth with less accurate sizes, and is regarded as one of the least distorted compromise projections. The National Geographic Society and many educational institutions use Winkel tripel projection for global mapping.
The Equal Earth projection is one of many equal-area pseudocylindrical map projections.
The Natural Earth projection looks much like Equal Earth, while better preserving the shapes of the continents, but is not equal-area. The Robinson projection is another alternative of this type.
Earlier attempts to give "a truer sense of area while retaining a visually intuitive layout" and replace the Mercator projection include the Goode homolosine and Gall-Peters projection.