I-UN: I-Afrika ilungisa indlela emele ngayo iimephu zehlabathi

1. Kangangamashumi eminyaka, iimaphu zehlabathi zibonise umfanekiso ophosakeleyo ngobukhulu beAfrika. I-UN isandula ukuvula indlela yotshintsho. NgoLwesihlanu, umhla wesi-4 kweyoMsintsi, iNdibano Jikelele yamkele isigqibo, esixhaswe yiTogo egameni leManyano ye-Afrika, sokukhuthaza iimaphu ezimela ngokuchanekileyo ubukhulu bokwenyani belizwekazi.

Lo mbhalo, obizwa ngokuba yi-"Correct the Map," ufumene iivoti ezili-164 ezixhasayo. I-United States ivotele ukuwuchasa, ngelixa amazwe amathandathu engazange awuvume.

Eyona nto iphambili kule mpikiswano yiMercator projection, eyayisetyenziswa ukususela kwinkulungwane ye-16. Ekuqaleni yayiyilelwe ukuhamba ngenqanawa, yandisa ngokubonakalayo iindawo ezikude ne-equator kwaye inciphisa ezo zikufutshane nayo. Ngoko ke iAfrika ibonakala ingenabukhazikhazi kunokuba injalo ngokwenene.

Nangona kunjalo, ilizwekazi laseAfrika ligubungela ngaphezu kwe-30 yezigidi zeekhilomitha. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, iGreenland, edla ngokubonakala kwiimaphu iphantse ilingane neAfrika enkulu, incinci ngokuphindwe kalishumi elinesine.

Ngenxa yoko esi sigqibo sikhuthaza ukusetyenziswa kwezinto ezibizwa ngokuba zii-"equal-area projections", ezikwaziyo ukubonakalisa ubukhulu beengingqi ezahlukeneyo zehlabathi. I-"Equal Earth" projection yenye yeemodeli ezikhankanyiweyo.

KwiTogo nakwiManyano ye-Afrika, le ngxaki ayisiyonto yobugcisa nje kuphela. Imephu inceda ekubumbeni indlela abantu ababona ngayo ihlabathi. Ukulungisa ezi mpawu kuthetha ukuhlaziya umfanekiso we-Afrika oye wanciphisa ixesha elide kwizixhobo zesikolo, ii-atlases, kunye nezixhobo ezithile zedijithali.

Ngale voti, iAfrika ifumana inkxaso enkulu yamazwe ngamazwe kwimfuno echaphazela ijografi, imfundo kunye nendlela elimelelwe ngayo ilizwekazi kwihlabathi liphela.

Yolande Bazié