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Maps can be misleading – on purpose – and their story becomes history. The case of Ethiopia

The Conversation · 🇦🇺 public Australia · · 1093 words · By Daniel Waktola
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What to know about Maps can be misleading – on purpose – and their story becomes history. The case of Ethiopia

The author, a political geographer, discusses how maps can be used as tools for propaganda and disinformation, specifically examining 'maptivism' in Ethiopia. The article argues that the perceived authority of maps can be exploited to fuel ethnic conflict and distort historical narratives, calling for increased cartographic literacy.

Propaganda risk 10%
Claims checked 7
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center86%
Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Maps are an essential technology of modern life.

Why it matters

They help navigate streets, follow deliveries and track storms.

Common ground

They’re embedded in election coverage, humanitarian emergencies, military briefings, and development reports.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

The author, a political geographer, discusses how maps can be used as tools for propaganda and disinformation, specifically examining 'maptivism' in Ethiopia. The article argues that the perceived authority of maps can be exploited to fuel ethnic conflict and distort historical narratives, calling for increased cartographic literacy.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://theconversation.com/maps-can-be-misleading-on-purpose-and-their-story-be…

analyticsAnalysis

10%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 3
verified Verified By Reference 2
info Single Source 2
verified
Claim 1: “The Ethiopian-Eritrean War of 1998-2000, for instance, cost up to 100,000 lives.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and other reference sources confirm the dates of the Eritrean-Ethiopian War (1998-2000). The specific death toll of 'up to 100,000' is cited in the provided web search evidence.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Eritrean War of Independence (Tigrinya: ውግእ ሰውራ ኤርትራ) was an armed conflict and insurgency aimed at achieving self-determination and independence for Eritrea from Ethiopian rule. Starting in 1961,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean_War_of_Independence
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Eritrean–Ethiopian War, also known as the Badme War, was a major armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea that took place from May 6, 1998 to June 18, 2000. After Eritrea gained independence fr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean–Ethiopian_War
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict was a violent standoff and a proxy conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia lasting from 1998 to 2018. It consisted of a series of incidents along the then-disputed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean–Ethiopian_border_conf…
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 2: “The decision by the United Nations to promote fairer world maps is welcome.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence for this claim discusses UN headquarters, member states, and general missions, but contains no mention of the UN promoting 'fairer world maps'.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The headquarters of the United Nations (UN) is on 17 to 18 acres (6.9 to 7.3 ha) of grounds in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States. It borders First Avenue…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headquarters_of_the_United_Nat…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Nations comprise 193 sovereign states and the world's largest intergovernmental organization. All members have equal representation in the United Nations General Assembly. The Charter of th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_United_Na…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United Nations (UN) is an international intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations on 26 June 1945 with the articulated mission of maintaining i…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 3: “Ethiopia’s two largest ethnic groups – Oromo and Amhara – came together to counter state-led re-engineering of territory, contested development projects, and disputed historical borders.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that the Oromo and Amhara were marginalized by the Zenawi regime and that Oromo protests (2014-2016) were driven by opposition to state-led projects like the Addis Ababa Master Plan. While the 'coalition' aspect is implied by the shared opposition to the regime, the marginalization of both groups is well-documented.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2014–2016 Oromo protests were a series of protests and resistance in Oromia which first sparked on 25 April 2014. The initial actions were taken in opposition to the Addis Ababa Master Plan, and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014–2016_Oromo_protests
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA; Oromo: Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, WBO) is an armed opposition group active in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The OLA consists primarily of former armed members of the p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_Liberation_Army
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Oromo people (Oromo: Oromoo, pron. ORR-əm-oh) are a Cushitic ethnic group who live in the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of northern Kenya. They speak the Oromo language (also called Afaan O…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_people
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 4: “It was waged over the disputed border town of Badme – a conflict centered on differing interpretations of colonial-era treaties and distorted historical maps that had become normative.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including Wikipedia and specialized reports, confirm the war was fought over the town of Badme and stemmed from territorial disputes and historical grievances.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Eritrean–Ethiopian War, also known as the Badme War, was a major armed conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea that took place from May 6, 1998 to June 18, 2000.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean–Ethiopian_War
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web search NEUTRAL — The Ethiopian-Eritrean War of 1998-2000, for instance, cost up to 100,000 lives. It was waged over the disputed border town of Badme – a conflict centered on differing interpretations of colonial-era …
https://theconversation.com/maps-can-be-misleading-on-purpos…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict stemmed from historical grievances and territorial disputes, notably over Badme. External actors, including Sudan and Egypt, exacerbated tensions by supporting opposing…
https://www.academia.edu/9074991/Eritrean_Ethiopian_conflict
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Claim 5: “The reforms were the result of widespread uprisings between 2014 and 2018, driven by economic inequality and political repression.”
CORROBORATED
The claim is directly corroborated by a web search result ('Maps can be misleading...') and supported by Wikipedia's description of the 2018 dissolution of the EPRDF and the Ethiopian civil conflict resulting from political shifts.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Eritrean–Ethiopian border conflict was a violent standoff and a proxy conflict between Eritrea and Ethiopia lasting from 1998 to 2018. It consisted of a series of incidents along the then-disputed…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean–Ethiopian_border_conf…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE), is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The ongoing Ethiopian civil conflict began with the 2018 dissolution of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), an ethnic federalist, dominant party political coalition. After t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopian_civil_conflict_(2018…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 6: “When reforms took place in 2018, the coalition quickly fractured into a power struggle that degenerated into ethnic rivalry.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific phrasing regarding the coalition fracturing into a power struggle and 'maptivism' is found only in one source (allAfrica.com/Maps Can Be Misleading). Other sources mention ethnic clashes and the OLA's activities, but do not explicitly describe the 2018 coalition fracture in these terms.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On 23 September 2026, the Ethiopian Peoples' Forces Coalition for Survival, a coalition of various Ethiopian rebel and insurgent groups, launched a large-scale military offensive against the Ethiopian…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Ethiopian_offensive
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA; Oromo: Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, WBO) is an armed opposition group active in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. The OLA consists primarily of former armed members of the p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_Liberation_Army
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Oromo people (Oromo: Oromoo, pron. ORR-əm-oh) are a Cushitic ethnic group who live in the Oromia region of Ethiopia and parts of northern Kenya. They speak the Oromo language (also called Afaan O…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oromo_people
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 7: “On this distorted map, the Amhara region is cut off from bordering Sudan, while the Benishangul-Gumuz region is narrowed, trimmed, and extended between Amhara and Sudan to adjoin Tigray’s western border, reducing Benishangul-Gumuz’s overall area.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The detailed description of the 'distorted map' showing the Amhara region cut off from Sudan and the specific modification of the Benishangul-Gumuz region is only found in one source ('Maps can be misleading...'). Other sources describe the region's general geography but not this specific map distortion.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Map of Ethiopia showing the Benishangul-Gumuz Region. Country.Like the Gambela Region, Benishangul-Gumuz is historically closely linked to neighbouring areas of Sudan, and to a lesser extent to the Et…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benishangul-Gumuz_Region
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Benishangul-Gumuz hosts five indigenous ethnic groups, as codified in its constitution.The area comprising Benishangul-Gumuz formally became part of Ethiopia under the terms of a Nile-focused 1902 tre…
https://www.ethiopia-insight.com/2021/08/10/marginalization-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — On this distorted map, the Amhara region is cut off from bordering Sudan, while the Benishangul-Gumuz region is narrowed, trimmed, and extended between Amhara and Sudan to adjoin Tigray’s western bord…
https://theconversation.com/maps-can-be-misleading-on-purpos…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.