UN supports new map that shows Africa's real size

Most world maps make Africa look much smaller than it really is. Now, the United Nations wants to change how people see the world. On Friday, 164 countries voted to support maps that show the real size of Africa and other regions.

make ... look= 使……看起來（使役動詞 make + 受詞 + 原形動詞）than it really is= 比實際狀況或原貌

For a long time, schools and books used a map called the Mercator projection. A mapmaker created it in 1569 to help sailors navigate ships. However, this map distorts size. It makes areas near the North and South Poles look very big, while places near the equator like Africa look much smaller.

navigate ships= 駕駛與導航船隻distorts size= （地圖等）扭曲或失真呈現實際面積大小

The new resolution encourages schools, media, and governments to use equal-area maps like the Equal Earth map. Cartographers created the Equal Earth map in 2018 to show the correct size of continents compared to each other.

encourages ... to use= 鼓勵或倡導……使用～compared to each other= 彼此相互比較之下

The resolution is not legally binding, so countries are not forced to change their maps. Only the United States voted against the decision, while six countries abstained. Supporters say the change will help people learn the true scale and importance of Africa.

legally binding= 具有法律約束力的（必須依法遵守）abstained= （在表決中）棄權、未投贊成或反對票

學習筆記

文法整理

句型	意思
make ... look	使……看起來（使役動詞 make + 受詞 + 原形動詞）
than it really is	比實際狀況或原貌
navigate ships	駕駛與導航船隻
distorts size	（地圖等）扭曲或失真呈現實際面積大小
encourages ... to use	鼓勵或倡導……使用～
compared to each other	彼此相互比較之下
legally binding	具有法律約束力的（必須依法遵守）
abstained	（在表決中）棄權、未投贊成或反對票

詞彙整理

單字	意思
resolution	解析度；影像或顯示畫面能呈現細節的清晰程度，通常以單位面積內的像素數表示；解析度越高，畫面通常越清楚。
legally binding	具有法律效力而必須遵守的；依法具有約束力的
scale	用來表示數值、程度或順序的標準；刻度。

延伸學習

•傳統麥卡托投影地圖因維護航海方位而擴大了高緯度地區，導致格陵蘭與歐洲看起來異常巨大，而位於赤道附近的非洲則被嚴重縮小。
•「Equal Earth（等地球投影）」於 2018 年推出，旨在提供視覺上自然且能準確反映各洲真實面積比例的替代地圖。