Africa occupies one fifth of the Earth’s landmass. On most classroom walls it looks smaller than Greenland. That visual gap is not an error. It is the residue of three centuries of projection choices that favored empire over accuracy. The world map is being contested again.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: Why does Africa look smaller than Greenland on most world maps?
- A: Most classroom maps use the Mercator projection, which exaggerates areas near the poles and shrinks equatorial regions, making Africa appear smaller than it is.
- Q: What does decolonial cartography aim to change?
- A: It seeks to replace Eurocentric projections with more accurate representations and indigenous perspectives that restore Africa’s true size and cultural agency on the world map.
- Q: How long has Africa been visually minimized?
- A: For about three centuries, projection choices made during the colonial era have systematically downscaled Africa’s visual presence on global maps.