France to replace Mercator projection in diplomatic maps

The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has announced it will phase out the use of the Mercator projection in its diplomatic maps. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated during the ‘La Fabrique de la diplomatie’ event in Paris that the change aims to provide a more accurate representation of the world.

The Mercator projection, created in 1569, is designed for maritime navigation by preserving angles, but it significantly distorts the size of landmasses by making areas near the poles appear much larger than they are. This results in regions like Europe, Russia, and North America appearing disproportionately large, while equatorial regions such as Africa and South America appear smaller.

France will transition to the Eckert IV projection, an equal-area projection that more faithfully represents the actual surface area of continents. This move aligns with a broader international discussion; the United Nations General Assembly recently supported a resolution, sponsored by Togo and supported by 164 members, encouraging the use of projections like ‘Equal Earth’ to ensure more accurate geographic representation.