A matter of scale

The news context

Prepared on 5 September for the 6 September edition. On 4 September, the UN General Assembly endorsed the Equal Earth projection in a resolution encouraging more accurate representation of continents’ relative areas. AP and AFP independently reported 164 votes in favour, one against from the United States and six abstentions. AP explicitly notes that the resolution does not ban Mercator maps or impose a replacement.

AFP explains the trade-off behind the dispute: Mercator was designed for navigation and preserves shapes and angles, but it exaggerates land areas toward the poles. Equal Earth preserves relative surface areas. The resolution concerns how the world is represented; it does not change borders, territory or countries’ actual size.

The delegate, cartographer, stack of atlases and dialogue are invented. The illustration uses a stylized map, not a geographically exact reference chart. The delegate’s precarious platform turns a disagreement about projection into a joke about the personal status he thinks the old map gave him.

This cartoon is satire. Its visual dialogue is invented; the linked reporting provides the factual background.

1. AP: UN endorses more proportionate world maps ↗
2. AFP via RFI: Africa bigger, US smaller — UN adopts new map ↗

A small fictional diplomat stands on a wobbling stack of old atlases while a woman cartographer gestures toward a stylized world map. The diplomat says: I preferred the version where I looked bigger. The atlas spines repeatedly read: MERCATOR. The map heading reads: EQUAL EARTH. The footer reads: comicoftheday.com · 6 SEP 2026 · SATIRE.