diff --git a/build/vega-lite-schema.json b/build/vega-lite-schema.json
index 0d7e480193..e2962a423b 100644
--- a/build/vega-lite-schema.json
+++ b/build/vega-lite-schema.json
@@ -20364,7 +20364,7 @@
         },
         "type": {
           "$ref": "#/definitions/ProjectionType",
-          "description": "The cartographic projection to use. This value is case-insensitive, for example `\"albers\"` and `\"Albers\"` indicate the same projection type. You can find all valid projection types [in the documentation](https://vega.github.io/vega-lite/docs/projection.html#projection-types).\n\n__Default value:__ `mercator`"
+          "description": "The cartographic projection to use. This value is case-insensitive, for example `\"albers\"` and `\"Albers\"` indicate the same projection type. You can find all valid projection types [in the documentation](https://vega.github.io/vega-lite/docs/projection.html#projection-types).\n\n__Default value:__ `equalEarth`"
         }
       },
       "type": "object"
diff --git a/src/compile/projection/parse.ts b/src/compile/projection/parse.ts
index 0aaf01349b..89e1997386 100644
--- a/src/compile/projection/parse.ts
+++ b/src/compile/projection/parse.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function parseUnitProjection(model: UnitModel): ProjectionComponent {
     const size = fit ? [model.getSizeSignalRef('width'), model.getSizeSignalRef('height')] : undefined;
     const data = fit ? gatherFitData(model) : undefined;
 
-    return new ProjectionComponent(
+    const projComp = new ProjectionComponent(
       model.projectionName(true),
       {
         ...(model.config.projection ?? {}),
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ function parseUnitProjection(model: UnitModel): ProjectionComponent {
       size,
       data
     );
+
+    if (!projComp.get('type')) {
+      projComp.set('type', 'equalEarth', false);
+    }
+
+    return projComp;
   }
 
   return undefined;
diff --git a/src/projection.ts b/src/projection.ts
index 547ec69cbe..66c1adec74 100644
--- a/src/projection.ts
+++ b/src/projection.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ export interface Projection extends BaseProjection {
   /**
    * The cartographic projection to use. This value is case-insensitive, for example `"albers"` and `"Albers"` indicate the same projection type. You can find all valid projection types [in the documentation](https://vega.github.io/vega-lite/docs/projection.html#projection-types).
    *
-   * __Default value:__ `mercator`
+   * __Default value:__ `equalEarth`
    */
   type?: ProjectionType | SignalRef; // Re-declare to override docs
 
diff --git a/test/compile/projection/parse.test.ts b/test/compile/projection/parse.test.ts
index aaa27f8767..5458042240 100644
--- a/test/compile/projection/parse.test.ts
+++ b/test/compile/projection/parse.test.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ describe('src/compile/projection/parse', () => {
       });
       model.parse();
       expect(model.component.projection.explicit).toEqual({});
+      expect(model.component.projection.implicit).toEqual({name: 'projection', type: 'equalEarth'});
     });
 
     it('should create projection from config', () => {