Where’s Iraq?

Although we Americans are famously lacking in world geography knowledge, there has always been one surefire way we could learn a country’s place on the map: by attacking it, or at least intervening in its affairs. When that happens, our newspapers feature little regional maps with the country colored black, and our TV news shows offer up little glowing maps in the right-hand corner of our television screens. But now, sadly, even this extreme educational method is failing. Reports CNN: “After more than three years of combat and nearly 2,400 U.S. military deaths in Iraq, nearly two-thirds of Americans aged 18 to 24 still cannot find Iraq on a map, a study released Tuesday showed.”

The National Geographic-Roper Public Affairs 2006 Geographic Literacy Study, the report states, “coincides with the launch of the National Geographic-led campaign called ‘My Wonderful World.’ A statement on the program said it was designed to ‘inspire parents and educators to give their kids the power of global knowledge.’”

Good luck.

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