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Survey Reveals Geographic Illiteracy in the USA!
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| LiquidX |
I got this from National Geographic !
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.
John Fahey, President and CEO of the National Geographic Society, presented results of the The National Geographic–2002 Global Geographic Literacy Survey, which 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 24 percent did not know 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 Niño 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, Germany 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.
www.nationalgeographic.com
this is scary, im lucky I was raised good :-) |
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| tranceaholic |
| what is it with all the us people are idiots threads..i am gettin sick of this...:whip: |
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| TranceCluber |
| yeah its so true and not suprising im american/german but live in the states...but our education here is so ty ...because i think we have it too damn good and we take education for granted ..we think we have nothing comming to us just great things ..and its pathetic one of the most successful countries int he world ...majority of the kids cant in read a in map..... SO TY!!.... the children of american need to in wake up and give a about whats going on in this world ..because from what i see im almost 22 but my generation doesnt give a rats ass about anything especially voting and thats so stupid..... hardly anyone my age votes in this country .... and its time that my generation and younger needs to get there heads out of our asses and start doing something productive for america ...something productive for our people..and i dont see that happening ... i can see is 50 years down the road when all of us who didnt vote never voted and our government will go to s and be totally corrupt and the american people will have only one solution that is to start a revolution in this country again... because right now how only 30% of americans are registered to vote and only about 30% of them actually do vote ..thats not good #s at all ..how can a government be totally for the people. AMERICANS WE NEED TO START IN WAKING UP REAL QUICK BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!! |
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| reveal |
| quote: | Originally posted by LiquidX
Sweden scored highest |
nice to hear :tongue2 |
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| biznology |
| quote: | Originally posted by tranceaholic
what is it with all the us people are idiots threads..i am gettin sick of this...:whip: |
hey this one is factual, and there are a bunch of idiots in America geogprahics-wise...
its somewhat disheartening. its hard for me to fully comprehend because i have always been pretty good with the topic, although not superb. i think part of the reason is BECAUSE we are a superpower, and people within our borders are self reliant and absorbed in *our* world.
thats not at all a good thing, but just an observation. as for the travelling international thing - you can drive through more than one European country in a day, so of COURSE there are more people that have been traveling internationally. frankly, thats *just* a matter of physical geographics.
obviously the education should increase and hopefully it will. as long as US citizens can be productive and successful in their own lives without knowing anything about other countries tho, then change isnt likely| |
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| Ckerr812 |
| quote: | Originally posted by tranceaholic
what is it with all the us people are idiots threads..i am gettin sick of this...:whip: |
America is the most powerful and rich country there has ever been in the history of the world.
It's just normal to see people jelious of it, especially sinse 99 percent of the people that make fun of it, would not be allowd to have a Visa to live in the U.S of A..lol |
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| Kimmi |
| quote: | Originally posted by Ckerr812
America is the most powerful and rich country there has ever been in the history of the world. |
Well, there is one country in the Middle East that's richer than we are. I read about it somewhere. Forget the name, though... |
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| k.k.d. |
| quote: | | Well, there is one country in the Middle East that's richer than we are. I read about it somewhere. Forget the name, though... |
nop, there is not. :(
But back on the subject, you know, the associated sample quiz, with statistic result of correct answers per country? I mean geez, how can a non-brain dead person have LESS than 20 out of 20, for 's sake? And the stats average around 50%, hittins as low as like 15% or so when it came to placing sweden on the map... Sigh... ;(
But like one of my good friend said, "Never underestimate how dumb most of the people around you really are". :( :( :( |
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| tranceaholic |
| well there are alot of dumb people around..but how come i dont see no survey on smart people..i mean a country doesnt become rich and powerful if its ran by idiots...some of the biggest companies are american..dont think those are run by idiots...everyone uses a computer with an INTEL processor american..probably MICROSOFT WINDOWS AMERICAN..most people drink pepsi and coke and eat at mcdonalds...so u see there are alot od smart people around here..i am not originally american i am egyptian but living in america..i traveled europe egypt and australia so i went through most of the contenants..it is overwhelming how american products and industry is everywhere...so some credit is due i think and when mentioning bad i hope we mention the good too...i am computer science senior in univ of calif..and i seen some top notch coders and some idiots..so please again give credit when its due. |
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| Taub |
| quote: | Originally posted by Kimmi
Well, there is one country in the Middle East that's richer than we are. I read about it somewhere. Forget the name, though... |
the vatican..is the richest country in the world, but then again its not big....or then i would have to say singapore |
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| SportTrance |
Our society here lives by the phrase "ignorance is bliss". Almost completely saturated with nieve, gullible, shallow self-centered citizens. People here have no desire to learn about the rest of the world, to them, the U.S. is the world. Although in reality, they're missing more than they'll ever know. Just realize, around here, foreign is scary. People don't like change, new cultures, new ways of life. It interrupts the comfort zone they live by everyday.
I can't look down upon those that have never had the oppurtunity to learn/visit/explore foreign lands, but I will look down upon those, that never had the desire to.
Its just plain shallow, with a lack of desire, not exactly a sign of bad education. Anyone can pick up a map if they really want to.
If you don't want to learn/visit foreign lands, so be it, but atleast ing be able to point out on a map the country that has threatened your "zombie lifestyle", not to mention the country YOUR nation is/was at war with. |
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| ali92 |
| I'm pretty much the EXACT opposite of most "average Americans" on this subject. I want to learn AS MUCH AS I CAN about countries, their customs, and cultures outside of my own. There are two kinds of world maps: Geographic and Political. Geographic maps just show LAND. No nation boundaries. It's harder for me to locate MANY nations on this kind of map but, I know the general area of a lot of nations. On a political map, there's no land. Just nation boundaries. If u gave me a political map WITHOUT any country labels on it, I probably could locate at LEAST 25 - 50 countries AND indicate their ISO 2-letter code (such as US for United States of America, CA for Canada, DE for Germany, etc.). And just to think, I only know ONE language: English (both UK and US) and I NEVER travelled outside of US and only been to ~5 states outside of my home state. I'm dying to travel internationally as well as learning at least 2 languages (and getting to know English (vocabulary-wise) A LOT better than I do now). I'll write more later. |
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