World Politics Review

U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to alter geographical feature names to promote his political agenda brought map-making politics into the spotlight.

“U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to alter the names of geographical features to promote his political agenda have thrust the politics of map-making into the spotlight.”

The United States was the sole country to object to the United Nations resolution concerning the world map.

“The U.N. resolution—which garnered support from 164 countries, with only the United States objecting—was sponsored by Togo, acting on behalf of the African Union.”

The Equal Earth cartographic projection accurately portrays the relative sizes of continents.

“While non-binding, it “encourages Member States, international organizations and other relevant entities to adopt, disseminate and use the Equal Earth cartographic projection,” which portrays the relative sizes of the continents more accurately.”

African nations are advocating for a change to the world map.

“Hence, it was far from surprising that the push to “correct the map” is coming from African nations. The U.N. resolution—which garnered support from 164 countries, with only the United States objecting—was sponsored by Togo, acting on behalf of the African Union.”

Africa is 14 times larger than Greenland.

“On a Mercator projection map, Africa looks comparable in size to the island of Greenland, even though in reality, 14 Greenlands could fit inside the continent.”

The Mercator projection, designed by a 16th-century cartographer, stretches northern and southern latitudes to map the round Earth onto a flat surface.

“For centuries, much of the world has used the Mercator projection, a map dating back to 1569 that exaggerates the size of landmasses at the poles while reducing the relative size of those near the equator.”

A 2026 UN report said increased data mapping is a 'critical foundation' for effective climate change adaptation.

Venezuela’s national electoral council announced fraudulent results showing a narrow victory for the president in the hours following the closing of the polls

“In the hours following the closing of the polls, Venezuela’s national electoral council, known by its Spanish-language acronym CNE, announced fraudulent results showing a narrow victory for the president.”

Maria Corina Machado has gone into hiding in Venezuela

“Maria Corina Machado, the popular opposition leader who was prevented from running as a candidate but spearheaded support for Gonzalez as her replacement, has gone into hiding in Venezuela.”

The CNE never followed up by publishing the precinct-level voter data to support its claim violating its own rules

“Violating its own rules, the CNE never followed up by publishing the precinct-level voter data to support its claim, because the data would simply have been further proof of the government’s defeat.”

The ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela rallied around Maduro ignoring international condemnations of the election as did the Chavista-controlled military with government security forces and paramilitaries violently repressing attempts to protest the electoral fraud

“Ignoring international condemnations of the election, including from Colombia and Brazil, the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela, or PSUV, rallied around Maduro, as did the Chavista-controlled military, with government security forces and paramilitaries violently repressing attempts to protest the electoral fraud.”

Maduro was installed as the reelected president in a brief 30-minute ceremony in early January 2025

“In early January 2025, Maduro was installed as the reelected president in a brief 30-minute ceremony in a tiny room with just a few allies in attendance.”

Waves of detentions and threats have decimated the opposition’s political organization in the country

“Waves of detentions and threats have decimated the opposition’s political organization in the country.”

Venezuela’s citizens have gone back to their lives with a level of disillusionment about whether and how change may be possible

“And Venezuela’s citizens have gone back to their lives with a level of disillusionment about whether and how change may be possible after such a clearly successful electoral mobilization failed to remove the current leadership.”

Gonzalez was forced to flee the country to Spain where he remains in exile in the months that followed

“In the months that followed, Gonzalez was forced to flee the country to Spain, where he remains in exile.”

Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won a landslide victory in Venezuela’s presidential election one year ago

“One year ago, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia won a landslide victory in Venezuela’s presidential election, defeating President Nicolas Maduro by over 40 percentage points according to voting receipts independently collected from over 80 percent of the precincts in the country.”

Gonzalez took a majority of votes in every state in the country and in neighborhoods that had long been ruling party strongholds

“Gonzalez took a majority of votes in every state in the country as well as in neighborhoods that had long been ruling party strongholds.”

Venezuela’s population turned out in force to demonstrate its disappointment with the ruling Chavista party and express its anger over corruption mismanagement and economic ruin

“Venezuela’s population turned out in force to demonstrate its disappointment with the ruling Chavista party that has been in office since the late 1990s and express its anger over the corruption, mismanagement and economic ruin the country has experienced in that time.”

Maduro remains the de facto president of the country despite overwhelming electoral defeat

“Despite that overwhelming electoral defeat, Maduro remains the de facto president of the country.”