Survey: Americans Lost on The Map
A 2006 National Geographic survey of 510 young American adults, randomly selected nationwide and between the ages of 18 and 24 (sample of 510), revealed a “limited understanding of the world” by Americans. Only fifty-five percent of the young Americans answered basic geographic questions correctly. Notable results, as summarized by National Geographic, include the following: Only thirty-seven percent could find Iraq on the map, even after more than three years of American military presence there. Many could not identify Saudi Arabia; only one in four found Iran (26%) or Israel (25%). Six in ten young Americans are not fluent in any foreign language. Twenty percent thought Sudan is in Asia, when in fact it is the largest country in Africa. Forty-eight percent believed that Islam is the largest religion in India, when Hindu is the dominant religion by large. Half of the young Americans could not even find New York on the map.
National Geographic concludes that (quote) “these results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.”
Source: National Geographic and MESH. Full report is freely available at this link.
National Geographic concludes that (quote) “these results suggest that young people in the United States—the most recent graduates of our educational system—are unprepared for an increasingly global future. Far too many lack even the most basic skills for navigating the international economy or understanding the relationships among people and places that provide critical context for world events.”
Source: National Geographic and MESH. Full report is freely available at this link.
Labels: middle east, united states, world
Post a Comment