In a recent news program Americans were asked to identify, variously, North Korea, Iran and Iraq on a map of the world.  A large percentage of them identified the landmass of Australia as the target nations.  Given the recent talk of nuking Iran, we have a clear interest, here in Australia, regarding the quality of Geography teaching in the USA.  Do many Americans know where we are and is it possible to avoid an unfortunate mistake??? a
201882
Oh, I feel your pain! I am an American who is excellent in geography (including knowing all the Australian states and capitals), and I am appalled by the lack of knowledge in my country. However, I think many other countries would have the same problem. \n\nJust learn how to duck and cover.\n\nPS - Most people confuse Australia with Austria.
240350
I see the Point of the Article.....But  I think the Administration is taking the right Approach here,This is my opinion why:1-The younger Generation of Iran do not like its Gov. Policies.Wouldnt be surprised if some or all allied nations trying to stir people against war.2-Irans leader has been making unprovoked threats to many nations,making this a European problem as well.Because of types of threats,War could very well mean WWIII.I think Administration is hoping that our Allies take the lead in any negotiations because Irans military capabilities make it a bigger threat to europe.3-If it comes to American military involvement,look at a map,to see where our soldiers are with regards to Iran.With Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan,Fleets in Persian Gulf, And our bases in Europe and Asia,we are well positioned Militarily.Although my personal belief is that Iranian leader is Crazy(literally)I hope this situation resloves itself.The majority of young Iranians are just like us,they want to live like us and european nations,its just that they have a lunatic with a very large military loyal to that lunatic for a leader.Please note that my opinion is based on what I know and learned through discussions with Iranian Immigrants at school.\nSorry 4 any typos...heavily medicated....
660973
Iraq will need us for a long time still. When we are finished there, though, North Korea is in need of an overhaul in a big, big way. For insight on that, rent the documentary "State of Mind". If we don't go to North Korea first, I'm sure we'll go to Iran. YIKES!
669551
I work in an intermediate school in the far corner of the US on a tropical island. Most of the students in this school have ancestors who have lived in this archipelago for hundreds or thousands of years. \n\nTheir whole lives, they read books and textbooks about people who live thousands of miles away in a four-season climate. They watch movies and TV shows about these people who never go squidding, never hunt pigs, wouldn't know an 'ulua from a mahi, don't own a rice cooker, can't surf, never paddled an outrigger canoe, and can't even hula. The limits of the interest these kids have in people who live so far away have been reached and passed. \n\nMost kids of 14 and under anywhere don't even know enough about how people live in different parts of the world to sustain enough interest to read a textbook chapter on the subject, let alone a whole textbook. In a way that's because their brains are still developing the ability to think abstractly. \n\nThey really aren't able to "put themselves in the shoes" of someone who disagrees with them, or has a different kind of background. They'll say something like , "The Bible is nonfiction," and they're not going to be able to process the idea that most people in the world do not believe or worship the same as they do in their families. And if you try to get them to think like someone who lived in the past, most just would not be able to do that. \n\nTo be honest, some people don't develop any kind of interest in world history or geography (sorry, I'm a geographer, can't get away from it) until they have graduated from high school. That being said, I have made a deliberate effort to bring videos into classrooms that open a window into how people live and have lived in other parts of the world. I showed my Latino, African, and American Black 5th graders in Washington, DC a documentary about Hawaiians rediscovering the ancient art of navigation by the stars. Those Hawaiians sailed a double-hulled canoe thousands of miles with no GPS, no sextant, no compass and landed in Tahiti. I actually know a few of the crew members personally! I showed my 7th graders in Hawaii a documentary about the overthrow of apartheid in South Africa. They were able to understand what happened in South Africa, because they know what happened in Hawaii.\n\nKids this age are probably more ready for bits and pieces of world history than the school systems give them credit for. They may not ready for a systematic study of the history of the whole world.
442086
Hi there;\n\nI have to hand it to you! You are showing a lot of gumption for taking on an assignment covering an entire continent of nations like that.\nI can list for you some very fine links (safe links) which can assist you in your endeavors. Good luck I hope you do well. :)
591956
Without a doubt.  America.  The USA.  no question.\n\nIt is not the Babylon located in Iraq. During Desert Storm so many books came out saying that Babylon was the answer – this was it and I said absolutely not because I believe the Babylon of Isaiah 18, Jeremiah 50 and 51, Revelation 18 happen to depict the United States of America and you wouldn't understand that now unless you studied my video on this subject thoroughly. Listen to me, first of all, it is the last of the super powers to come into existence in Jeremiah 50:12. That was 1776. We are some of the latest in history. Baghdad and Iraq has been here for centuries. Secondly, it is a nation of tremendous wealth in Jeremiah 51:7 and that wealth is lost in Revelation 18:10, 17, and 19. Thirdly, it is a nation that has a tremendous amount of missiles and atomic weaponry so that it can shoot into the heavens and use her missiles globally and that is Jeremiah 51:53 and 58. But here is some of the most exhilarating evidence ever Isaiah 18:1. “Woe unto the land shattering with wings which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.” The symbol of the United States of America is a great eagle with outspread wings. But, John Allen Watson a great geographer sent  page after page documenting this and he took the rivers of Ethiopia going southward and found 14 of them and a ocean to be crossed that came out in Oregon and continuing south ward went through Canada and back to Israel and Ethiopia. He proved to me that it was the United States of America.
285127
By "some" people you must mean "American people"....Everyone knows that as a general rule Americans are geographically ignorant, as well as culturally challenged. (soz but it's da tooth)
129186
Oh my goodness, that's hilarious. And sad. To tell you the truth, I'm too intelligent to be embarrassed by the ignorance of "my fellow Americans". Our leaders are "average" intelligence. Our commander in chief is a bumbling idiot. Ignorance runs rampant. It's American policy to mis-educate the masses. To keep them in fear and in the dark and under control.  The most intelligent of us know this, but no one listens to us. It's a shame to admit, but the average US citizen is sub-intelligent and gullible. They'll believe anything they see or read, and so the propaganda of television and the media is extremely influential.  No I'm not embarrassed, but those people should be.  My condolences to the people of Australia, if any of those people ever get any weapons of mass destruction. LOL **==
245949
It's a wonderful spot.  Maybe we should leave map kiosks along the border showing the way to Toronto to pick up where Fox's map to the United States leaves off...\n\nBubblehead, Fox's not owning the U.S. sure doesn't stop HIM from selling it!
564276
OK abc here is a serious answer to your question. We live so far away from everywhere else (even south America and/or Canada for most of the US) that we just have not had the experience. I'm think i am more knowledgable than most ppl i know, on Europe anyway, since my in-laws are from Liverpool and one of my good friends and her hubby are Irish, but i don't think most ppl in the US even know a person that is from another country (that is not a S. Am country). I know if you live in Englad, Germany, Spain, Italy ect...you can fly to another country in a matter of a few hours and it is fairly cheap. Honestly most Americans would love to be able to visit (can I stay at your house lol) but it is to expensive. I think this goes along with the education question. Its not that we don't learn our history, it is just much easier to remember something if you have visited the place (i can give you quite a detailed account of the Alamo) or if your family was involved (Revolution, cilvil war). If you are wondering if we learn about the daily habits (such as food perference, job opportunities, fashion) of the modern English at school no we don't, but I really don't think that it would be the job of the school to teach this.\n\n\nI also think that the reason we love accents is because we rarely hear them! We would sit and listen to someone from England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia all day....you guys are really popular here lol\n\nI was wondering about the nationalities of the users on this site...is there a way to see that?
449684
Doesn't know their map?  My goodness!  Just how young and small-minded are you?  \n\nSA:\nSan Antonio \nSouth Africa\nSouth America \nSaudi Arabia \nSarajevo\nSalta (Argentina province)\nSouth Australia (Australian State)\nSaskatchewan\nSanta Ana (California)\nSwansea (postal code for Swansea, Wales)\nSouth Asia \nEtc.\n\nNow, please open an atlas occasionally and expand your horizons.\n\nAnd to actually answer your question, I have a very hard time believing you.  That word is never a nice word, no matter who you are.  I've called my husband an old fart before.  He laughs and agrees.  However, if a stranger called him that, he'd be pretty upset.
196144
I too would be appalled if an American history professor knew nothing about the SDS, the Weather Underground, and so forth.  This stuff is extremely basic American history.\n\nI'd love to know where you go to college, too, so that I can look up the areas of specialization of your professors to find out what they've published.  Right now, I'm wondering why they even have jobs.
137100
I am thinking that we should stop being racist and arrogant.\nI am also thinking that we are not in charge of the universe.\nI am also thinking that if we have the right to have nuclear arms so should they.\n\nAfter all, we are not better than anyone else.\nAfter all, Iran is far less dangerous than the US ehich already has its own nuclear weapons.\n\nIn the last 50 years Iran has attacked exactly zero countries. In fact, through US enccouragement it was attacked by our former clients, the Iraqis.\nThe US has attacked Iraq, Vietnam, Guatemala, Grenada, Korea, El Salvador, Cuba, Panama, Egypt, and the list goes on.\n\nMaybe we should get rid of our own nuclear weapons before we ask others to do. We dont want to be hypocrites, right?\n\nBy the way, Iranians have never claimed or said they are developing nuclear weapons. Only the US has made this claim. And I sure beleive what W and Cheney say, right? ;-)
185045
maddy005, you can't expect all these liberals to be able to understand your instructions that this is to conservatives only.  To answer your question, Americans have not created false propaganda about Iran.  If you believe that it is false propaganda that is coming out right now, it's important for you to know who is putting out this false propaganda.  It's the evil International Atomic Energy Agency.  Also, Iran is building nuclear weapons while simultaneously calling for the destruction of Israel.  That doesn't sound like defending themselves to me, that sounds like murdering millions of people.
239248
I'm not gonna lie most Americans suck horribly in geography to say the least. I'm from Lithuania, and I could probably count how many times somebody knew where that is, most of the time I just get a blank stare, or "Oh, yeah! I know where that is"... hmmm... yeah, sure you do. Some ppl at least guess close enough to say that it's near Russian... Sadly too many think it's part of the Soviet Union... Just one thing, there is no more Soviet Union!
305645
the majority of americans are oblivous to the hatred that they are engendering around the world. I lived in the US for 12 years and I know that most people I met were really generous and forward thinking people....but very self absorbed. I now live in UK and I see the US from a distance. The majority of people in the UK, supposedly America's greatest ally, find America's Foreign policy appalling and we are 'Freinds'. America may go to Iran - it has proved that from a high level it has bad judgement and...I think it would be foolhardy to beleive the politicians have learned anything from Iraq..other than a whole bunch of wealthy Republicans have made a lot of money from the conflict...and therefore more conflict will be good andmay well happen. republican governments love war unfortunately...all this balony about security is just a cover. If you live anywhere except the US you can this crystal clear...PS I love 'America' the ideal - which is what the policiticians always tap into..but America the reality is, at times, unfortunately very sinister. Take a look into Rumsfeldlds eyes some time...but don't do it for too long:-)
485126
America isnt worried about him attacking another country, the government is worried about him giving nuclear weapons and/or technology to Iran, which will attack another country, or giving it to a terrorist group.  Although i do agree with you that the press turned it into "the world is about to end" coverage.