Going to war with iraq?

[advocatexxx 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2002/EDUCATION/11/20/geography.quiz/index.html

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">WHERE IN THE WORLD

Among 18- to 24-year-old Americans given maps:

87 percent cannot find Iraq

83 percent cannot find Afghanistan

76 percent cannot find Saudi Arabia

70 percent cannot find New Jersey

49 percent cannot find New York

11 percent cannot find the United States

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Young Americans may soon have to fight a war in Iraq, but most of them can't even find that country on a map, the National Geographic Society said Wednesday.

The society survey found that only about one in seven -- 13 percent -- of Americans between the age of 18 and 24, the prime age for military warriors, could find Iraq. The score was the same for Iran, an Iraqi neighbor.

Although the majority, 58 percent, of the young Americans surveyed knew that the Taliban and al Qaeda were based in Afghanistan, only 17 percent could find that country on a world map. A U.S.-led force attacked the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan in October 2001, and President Bush has said he is prepared to use force to rid Iraq of any chemical, nuclear or biological weapons programs.

The survey asked 56 geographic and current events questions of young people in nine countries and scored the results with traditional grades. The surveyed Americans got a "D," with an average of 23 correct answers. Mexico ranked last with an average score of 21, just three points from a failing grade.

Topping the scoring was Sweden, with an average of 40, followed by Germany and Italy, each with 38. None of the countries got an "A," which required average scores of 42 correct answers or better on the 56 questions.

"If our young people can't find places on a map and lack awareness of current events, how can they understand the world's cultural, economic and natural resource issues that confront us?" John Fahey, president of the National Geographic Society, said in a statement.

National Geographic is convening an international panel of policy makers and business and media leaders to find ways to improve geographic education and to encourage interest in world affairs, the society said.

Other findings from the survey:

• Thirty-four percent of the young Americans knew that the island used on last season's "Survivor" show was located in the South Pacific, but only 30 percent could locate the state of New Jersey on a map. The "Survivor" show's location was the Marquesas Islands in the eastern South Pacific.

• When asked to find 10 specific states on a map of the United States, only California and Texas could be located by a large majority of those surveyed. Both states were correctly located by 89 percent of the participants. Only 51 percent could find New York, the nation's third most populous state.

• On a world map, Americans could find on average only seven of 16 countries in the quiz. Only 89 percent of the Americans surveyed could find their own country on the map.

• In the world map test, Swedes could find an average of 13 of the 16 countries. Germans and Italians were next, with an average of 12 each.

• Only 71 percent of the surveyed Americans could locate on the map the Pacific Ocean, the world's largest body of water. Worldwide, three in 10 of those surveyed could not correctly locate the Pacific Ocean.

• Although 81 percent of the surveyed Americans knew that the Middle East is the Earth's largest oil exporter, only 24 percent could find Saudi Arabia on the map.

The international survey was conducted for the National Geographic by RoperASW. The results are based on face-to-face interviews with at least 300 men and women aged 18 to 24 in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Britain and the United States.

The questionnaires were in the local language, but the content was universally the same. <span id='postcolor'>

Yep, they're definitely the proud product of the American education system.

[Akira 0]

Jesus Christ....how can you NOT know where the freakin' Pacific Ocean is??? It's the largest thing on the damn map!

ARRGGHH!!!

Like I've always said...need to quit coddling this screw-ups and quit being afraid to hold kids back for fear of making them feel bad. Idiots.

When I was in school we had to learn the name of every country, its capital, and every major geographic location in the world.

[Longinius 1]

Its scary that 87% of the people in that survey dont know where their countrymen was at war some 10 years ago, and might be going to war again in a couple of months. Jesus, I pity America.

[Akira 0]

Pity Mexico...they got the worst score.

[ran 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Akira @ Nov. 20 2002,21:28)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Pity Mexico...they got the worst score.<span id='postcolor'>

USA are apart of the economic triad and the most influent members of the western "developped" world

on the other hand , it's understandable that mexico has difficulties with the education , it's a third world country

[Akira 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ran @ Nov. 20 2002,21:39)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Akira @ Nov. 20 2002,21:28)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Pity Mexico...they got the worst score.<span id='postcolor'>

USA are apart of the economic triad and the most influent members of the western "developped" world

on the other hand , it's understandable that mexico has difficulties with the education , it's a third world country<span id='postcolor'>

I don't think that makes it any more excusable. Mexico is NOT Ethiopia for example.

[Guest]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Topping the scoring was Sweden<span id='postcolor'>

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">

Although the majority, 58 percent, of the young Americans surveyed knew that the Taliban and al Qaeda were based in Afghanistan, only 17 percent could find that country on a world map.

<span id='postcolor'>

This is really sad. Such ignorance is dangerous in the end.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">A U.S.-led force attacked the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan in October 2001, and President Bush has said he is prepared to use force to rid Iraq of any chemical, nuclear or biological weapons programs.

<span id='postcolor'>

Can he point out Iraq on a map?

[ran 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (denoir @ Nov. 20 2002,21:43)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">A U.S.-led force attacked the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan in October 2001, and President Bush has said he is prepared to use force to rid Iraq of any chemical, nuclear or biological weapons programs.

<span id='postcolor'>

Can he point out Iraq on a map? <span id='postcolor'>

was he able to point out pakistan on a map until 9-11 ?

[USMC Sniper 0]

Anyone know where the full list is? I'd like to see how low Canada went, so many people in my [Grade 8] class cannot read, fail in simple adding fractiosn quizzes, and are just overall, stupid.

[Die Alive 0]

I blame Playstation 2 and hip hop music.

-=Die Alive=-

[PitViper 0]

I blame the pathetic public school system in the U.S. Thank God for private education!

[Necromancer- 0]

Don't underestimate the power of playstation.  

[Die Alive 0]

Maybe they asked only blind kids for the poll, that's why they couldn't find those places on a map.

Anyways, I've seen the education system going down hill in the past 10-15 years. Back when I was in grade 5, most of the "ethnic" kids in my class couldn't even spell CANADA, and today, I see grade 2 kids who don't know the difference between english and french. These kids today need a good beating now and then, a few kicks to the head may leave them brain damaged, but that might be an improvement over what they are now.

-=Die Alive=-

[VXR 9]

100% knows where Everon is

[Harnu 0]

I'm a product of American education.  I'm not half-bad.  (Though the better word is half-assed      )

It's the system itself thats bad.  It's the students.  I know this for a fact because I go to school with people who can barely read or write or can't point out places on the map.  Most of the students don't want to learn.  That or it just comes too hard to them.  For me it comes rather easy, I keep a GPA of over 3.0, mostly around 3.5 or above (4.0 being max).

The attitude around my school is if I don't need to know it, why should I.  Most of the people I know don't need to know it, so why should they have to.  That's the attitude.  I disagree with them saying that you need atealst a basic understanding of it all.  I even have a teacher that has that attitude...

IMO, a lot of the problem lies at home.  A lot of the people I know were rasied in broken homes.  Only one parent at a time and not much time spent with them.  And the result is pretty bad.  Even though thats not always the case, you can almost tell who has divorced parents.

[advocatexxx 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Harnu @ Nov. 20 2002,16:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I go to school with people who can barely read or right<span id='postcolor'>

Lol, and you're one of them (j/k)

[Guest]

LMAO

[bn880 5]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Although the majority, 58 percent, of the young Americans surveyed knew that the Taliban and al Qaeda were based in Afghanistan, only 17 percent could find that country on a world map. A U.S.-led force attacked the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan in October 2001, and President Bush has said he is prepared to use force to rid Iraq of any chemical, nuclear or biological weapons programs. <span id='postcolor'>

I don't know, I heard that the majority did not know that AL Qaeda and Taliban were based in Afghanistan. Should read the National Geographic report itself.

[Cloney 0]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (USMC Sniper @ Nov. 20 2002,21:46)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyone know where the full list is? I'd like to see how low Canada went, so many people in my [Grade 8] class cannot read, fail in simple adding fractiosn quizzes, and are just overall, stupid.  <span id='postcolor'>

Jesus how old are you? 12?

Well. I'm a sophmore in highschool and I can tell you that not everyone in my school can spell 'because' so I'm not suprised about these scores. I know where all those places are on the map so I don't feel ignorant. Although I do feel bad for the kids that don't know where New York is...

[bn880 5]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (advocatexxx @ Nov. 20 2002,16:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Harnu @ Nov. 20 2002,16:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I go to school with people who can barely read or right<span id='postcolor'>

Lol, and you're one of them (j/k)<span id='postcolor'>

That's insane.

ROFL

[bn880 5]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Cloney @ Nov. 20 2002,16:31)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (USMC Sniper @ Nov. 20 2002,21:46)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Anyone know where the full list is? I'd like to see how low Canada went, so many people in my [Grade 8] class cannot read, fail in simple adding fractiosn quizzes, and are just overall, stupid. <span id='postcolor'>

Jesus how old are you? 12?

Well. I'm a sophmore in highschool and I can tell you that not everyone in my school can spell 'because' so I'm not suprised about these scores. I know where all those places are on the map so I don't feel ignorant. Although I do feel bad for the kids that don't know where New York is...<span id='postcolor'>

Full report should be on National Geographic website I think.

[advocatexxx 0]

Yep, and here's the transcript:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news....ey.html

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Survey Reveals Geographic Illiteracy

Bijal P. Trivedi

National Geographic Today

November 20, 2002

In a nation called the world's superpower, only 17 percent of young adults in the United States could find Afghanistan on a map, according to a new worldwide survey released today.

The young U.S. citizens received poor marks generally in geography. But then, as results showed, their counterparts in other countries were hardly star students.

The National Geographic–Roper 2002 Global Geographic Literacy Survey polled more than 3,000 18- to 24-year-olds in Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden and the United States.

Sweden scored highest; Mexico, lowest. The U.S. was next to last.

"The survey demonstrates the geographic illiteracy of the United States," said Robert Pastor, professor of International Relations at American University, in Washington, D.C. "The results are particularly appalling in light of September 11, which traumatized America and revealed that our destiny is connected to the rest of the world."

About 11 percent of young citizens of the U.S. couldn't even locate the U.S. on a map. The Pacific Ocean's location was a mystery to 29 percent; Japan, to 58 percent; France, to 65 percent; and the United Kingdom, to 69 percent.

Are Young U.S. Citizens Americentric?

Despite the threat of war in Iraq and the daily reports of suicide bombers in Israel, less than 15 percent of the young U.S. citizens could locate either country.

More young U.S. citizens in the study knew that the island featured in last season's TV show "Survivor" is in the South Pacific than could find Israel.

Particularly humiliating was that all countries were better able to identify the U.S. population than many young U.S. citizens. Within the U.S., almost one-third said that population was between one billion and two billion; the answer is 289 million.

"It gives the sense that there is this Americentric thing going on—that we are big and powerful and have all these people in our country," said John Fahey, President and CEO of the National Geographic Society.

On the other hand, Pastor suggests that the results could mean that most young Americans just have no idea of the total world population (about six billion).

Poor Geographic Literacy Worldwide

Young adults worldwide are not markedly more literate about geography than the Americans.

On average, fewer than 25 percent of young people worldwide could locate Israel on the map. Only about 20 percent could identify hotspots like Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.

Of all the young adults in the survey, only about one-third in Germany, Sweden and Japan, could name four countries that officially acknowledge having nuclear weapons. In the rest of the countries that number dropped to less than a quarter. In France only 24 percent knew that that their own country was a nuclear nation.

The survey results are not all bleak, says Roger Downs, head of the geography department at Pennsylvania State University, in State College, and a National Geographic geographer-in-residence in 1995-1996.

Geography Not Valued in Schools

Since the last Geographic-sponsored survey in 1988, said Downs, the percentage of young U.S. citizens who reported taking a geography course in school rose from 30 to 55 percent. And students who had studied geography did better on the current survey.

U.S. schools generally have slighted geography. "If geography is not in the curriculum," Downs said, "it's not tested—and that says to the students that it is not valued."

The schools are not solely to blame, either. "Wouldn't it be nice if parents also read atlases to their children?" Downs says.

Questions covering current events or practical activities yielded more promising results.

Most young U.S. citizens knew that Africa was most affected by the AIDS epidemic, and about half knew that El Nińo caused erratic weather.

"When geography and life intersect, people pay attention," said Nick Boyon, senior vice president for international research at RoperASW, in Manhattan.

Boosting Geography

Geographic knowledge increases through travel and language proficiency, among other factors.

In the highest-scoring countries—Sweden, German and Italy—at least 70 percent of the young adults had traveled internationally in the last three years, and the majority spoke more than one language (in Sweden, 92 and 89 percent, respectively).

In the U.S. and Mexico only about 20 percent had traveled abroad during the same period and the majority spoke only one language.

To fight geographic ignorance, and apathy, among young people in the U.S. and around the world, the National Geographic Society will convene an international coalition of leaders in American business, education and media.

Next year the panel will recommend initiatives to policymakers in those areas—and to parents and children.

<span id='postcolor'>

About 11 percent of young citizens of the U.S. couldn't even locate the U.S. on a map.

11 percent is a lot considering these people are between 18-24, which almost certainly makes them high school graduates. How can an 18+ year old not be able to locate their country on a map just amazes me.

[bn880 5]

I can't find the complete results, maybe one of us should go and buy the paper.

Anyway, I think it's true that a knowledge of international matters starts with geography. And not knowing what goes around, one can't be considered a well informed person especially when it's time to vote for a party or president. It's becoming evident why Bush is so popular locally after all...

EDIT: I think we killed National Geographic website

EDIT2: no, only survey results are dead

[nolips71 0]

ive been top in the year in geography 2 years in a row

but definately not english

[Tex -USMC- 0]

Noone polled me