Equal Earth Map Generator

Looking for a “true size world map”? No flat projection preserves every geographic property. Equal Earth preserves relative area.

Earth is curved. Flattening its surface changes area, shape, distance or direction, so a world map projection must make trade-offs. Choose the property that matters for your map. USGS explains these trade-offs.

Same Natural Earth data, colors and central meridian (0°). Equal-size frames; each projection is fitted independently, so scales differ. Mercator clips the poles near ±85°. Boundary depiction does not imply endorsement of territorial claims.

Africa is roughly 14 times Greenland’s area. Equal Earth preserves that visual area relationship; a whole-world Mercator map can make them appear comparable in size. This is why Africa’s true size is often discussed in map education. Compare regions within each map: the two previews here fit their own projections independently. USGS on area distortion.

The diagrams use simplified 1:110 million geography. Small islands may be absent; no region is resized separately.

Same Natural Earth data, colors and central meridian (0°). Equal-size frames; each projection is fitted independently, so scales differ. Mercator clips the poles near ±85°. Boundary depiction does not imply endorsement of territorial claims.

On 4 September 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted draft resolution A/80/L.104 by a recorded vote of 164 in favour, 1 against and 6 abstentions. The adopted text is General Assembly resolution A/RES/80/307. It encourages fairer cartographic representation of Africa and other regions. It calls for wider use of equal-area projections, particularly Equal Earth, where the relative sizes of continental landmasses matter. UN meeting coverage, 4 September 2026.

The text was based on draft A/80/L.104, “Correct the map: rebalancing global cartographic representation and promoting equitable representation of the world's regions, particularly Africa.”

Using the decision in context

The summary above explains the limits of this decision. Choose a projection for the purpose of each map.

Mercator remains suitable for uses such as navigation where its conformal properties are useful. DENSYO Map is not affiliated with or endorsed by the United Nations.

Projection properties: PROJ Equal Earth and PROJ Mercator.

Confirmed direction

• The AU has urged Member States to revise curricula and called for more accurate representation.
• The September 2026 UN resolution encourages appropriate equal-area mapping.
• The AU Commission Chairperson has encouraged international institutions, educational systems, publishers and digital platforms to promote maps reflecting actual land areas. AU communiqué, 4 September 2026.
• Togo’s foreign minister told Reuters that the country hoped to update school geography materials by the end of 2026. This is a stated intention, not a claim of completed implementation. Reuters report.

Likely use cases

These are potential applications, not confirmed adoption commitments.

Education

Classroom maps and textbooks comparing the areas of countries and continents.

Publishing and media

Books, news, reports and presentations where apparent territorial size affects interpretation.

Data visualization

Global population, climate, agriculture, biodiversity or emissions maps where land area matters.

International organizations

Global reports and public communication that benefit from balanced relative area.

Digital products

World overviews and educational interfaces where equal-area representation is useful.

Equal Earth is not expected to replace every map projection. Navigation, street maps, detailed local mapping and many tiled web maps may be better served by other projections, including Mercator or Web Mercator. The right projection depends on the purpose of the map.

This generator uses simplified Natural Earth 1:110 million data for world-scale illustration, not navigation, legal boundaries or detailed local analysis.

• Šavrič, Patterson and Jenny, The Equal Earth map projection, International Journal of Geographical Information Science. Published online 7 August 2018.
• Equal Earth: authors’ projection documentation.
• PROJ: Equal Earth · Mercator.
• USGS: How are different map projections used?
• AU: Assembly/AU/Dec.959(XXXIX), 14–15 February 2026 (PDF).
• AU Commission: Correct The Map communiqué, 4 September 2026.
• UN General Assembly: draft resolution A/80/L.104, adopted resolution A/RES/80/307, and adoption and recorded vote, 4 September 2026. Draft identifier is not presented as the final resolution number.