CORRECT THE MAP, BUT WHAT ARE WE CORRECTING ?

*CORRECT THE MAP, BUT WHAT ARE WE CORRECTING ?* > A Geodetic Engineer’s Reflection on Perception, GIS, and GeoAI *Farhan Helmy* *Key Messages*

• The UN “ Correct the Map ” initiative raises a legitimate concern about how map projections can influence visual perception, particularly the representation of the relative size of Africa. *From a geodetic perspective, however, there is no single universally “ correct ” flat map: every projection introduces distortion, and the appropriate projection depends on its purpose.*

• *Changing a map projection changes cartographic representation, not geographic reality.* It does not make Africa larger, change geographic coordinates, redefine internationally recognized boundaries, or create new territorial claims.

• In the era of GIS, satellite Earth observation, digital globes, and GeoAI, *geographic literacy should move beyond how the world looks toward understanding how the Earth is measured, referenced, projected, analysed, and represented.* The transition needed is therefore from cartographic literacy toward broader geospatial literacy.

• *If visual representation is argued to influence development priorities, investment, climate finance, public budgets, or resource allocation, the causal relationship should be examined empirically.* We should distinguish between what has been demonstrated, what can reasonably be inferred, and what remains a hypothesis requiring further research.

• *Maps and geospatial analyses used for policy and investment should clearly communicate their data sources, coordinate reference systems, projections, scale and resolution, analytical purpose, uncertainty, and limitations.* As GIS and GeoAI increasingly influence decisions, geospatial transparency and accountability become as important as visual representation.