WASHINGTON, May 3: 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 released on Tuesday.
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.
The survey results showed that despite nearly constant news coverage since the US invasion of Iraq in March 2003, 63 per cent of respondents could not find Iraq on a map and 75 per cent could not find Israel or Iran.
Nine in 10 also could not find Afghanistan on a map of Asia and 70 per cent could not find North Korea.
Another hot spot in the news that failed to register with those questioned was Sudan, with 20 percent placing the African country in Asia and 10 percent in Europe
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.
“More than four in 10 can’t even place Pakistan in Asia,” a survey report said.
A third or more of those questioned also could not find the states of Louisiana or Mississippi on a US map despite massive media coverage of the hurricanes that devastated these states last year.—AFP
