India, Sept. 5 -- The UN General Assembly voted to replace the traditional map of Africa with a new one that accurately shows the continent's size.

By 164 votes to one, Member States on Friday endorsed a resolution promoting map projections that more accurately reflect the true size of continents - the culmination of an African-led campaign against the 16th-century Mercator projection, still the most widely used map in the world.

The United States cast the sole vote against, dismissing the initiative as part of a "radical ideological project."

The resolution does not ban the Mercator projection or impose a replacement. Instead, it encourages governments, schools, international organizations and technology companies to use the Equal Ear...