Posted on 05/02/2006 5:16:53 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
Young Americans know little about world geography, with the majority unable to locate Iraq on a map and three quarters unable to find Indonesia, according to a study.
The Roper poll conducted on behalf of National Geographic found that most of the young adults questioned between the ages of 18 and 24 also had little knowledge about their own country, with half or fewer unable to identify the states of New York or Ohio on a map.
Moreover, the study said, many of those questioned were not bothered by their lack of geographic knowledge.
"Half think it is 'important but not absolutely necessary' either to know where countries in the news are located (50%) or to be able to speak a foreign language (47%)," a report on the survey said.
The report said that despite nearly constant news coverage since the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003, 63 percent of respondents could not find Iraq on a map and 75 percent could not find Israel or Iran.
It added that that nine in ten also could not find Afghanistan on a map of Asia and 70 percent could not find North Korea.
When questioned about natural disasters, only a third (33%) correctly chose Pakistan from four possible choices as the country hit by a huge earthquake in October 2005.
China fared better than most countries, with seven in ten (69%) respondents able to find it on a map. Still, the study found, young Americans have a number of misconceptions about China.
Nearly 75 percent believe English is the most widely spoken native language, rather than Mandarin Chinese, and half think that China is the biggest exporter of goods and services rather than the United States.
The survey was conducted between December 2005 and January 2006 and involved 510 interviews.
National Geographic released the survey in launching a five-year campaign to improve geographic literacy among young people in the United States.
"Geographic illiteracy impacts our economic well-being, our relationships with other nations and the environment, and isolates us from our world," said John Fahey, National Geographic Society president. "Without geography, our young people are not ready to face the challenges of the increasingly interconnected and competitive world of the 21st century."
Well, if the Enviro-weenies at Nat'l Geo would actually cover more geography instead of writing their pet tree-hugging articles, they might have a leg to stand on.
... half or fewer unable to identify the states of New York or Ohio on a map.
Does anyone know how these studies are done? Do they hand out maps with just the outlines of countries, or what?
I think I could label nearly all correctly with no prompting, although some of the smaller African countries on the Atlantic coast would give me a problem.
I'm just guessing, but they might be actual results of classroom tests.
I think they just watch episodes of "Jaywalking" and report on the results.
I ahte to say it, but it's been that way since at least the 70s that I know of.
Good point - if they can frame Quran study as a cultural study they should also be able to frame Bible study as a cultural study.
I'm not holding my breath though, I value my life.
"...some of the smaller African conntries on the Atlantic coast would give me a problem"...Ya think?? Most of them have been thru more name changes than your corner bank.
I believe so, every home should have a labeled globe; use the 'Net to find the updated names.
--if you were in an engineering or science based curriculum in the late fifties or early sixties, the flunk-outs usually went into "education" if they wanted to stay in school---this is what it got us--
And perhaps fewer articles on "Where the Idle Rich went on their vacation ...and here are the pictures from it".
Your National Teacher Association at work here. This might explain why Democrats can not find polling places?
Ask any Liberal or member of the NEA, it's because we haven't spent enough on education. Of course, they don't talk about all the money that's been wasted and the amount that's been stolen via corruption. Just another day in the life of Liberal public education.
When the semester started, I didn't think I could do it, but I did. And I have never forgotten how to do it, either.
When I was in grade school (back in prehistoric times) geography was taught as such, and I can still locate the Ural Mountains, Cape Horn, the Khalahari Desert, an many other even more obscure places.
Geography allows you to understand the world. It helps one understand world events when one knows that Indonesia is tropical and was colonized by the Dutch, that bananas do not grow naturally in New Hampshire, and that if one travels to Japan one will see Asiatic people.
I just flat don't understand this. It seems to me that there are a lot of people in this country who go around in a perpetual state of bewilderment. For goodness sake, they don't even understand where they are!!
Geography and history go hand in hand. Both explain largely where we are and why things are the way they are today.
I love both.
Kind of reminds me of the modern day geography teacher.
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