Common projections shrink the size of Africa, but experts have long debated whether creating a precise map is possible.

LAST month Kai Krause, a computer-graphics guru, caused a stir with a map entitled "The True Size of Africa", which showed the outlines of other countries crammed into the outline of the African ...

The French, for example, clashed with Britain over several West African territories, and again with King Leopold over Central African regions ... a map closer to what we now know as Africa ...