Page 1 - Geographic Ignorance is Harmful to Our Country's Future

Students in the US know less about geography than students in other countries.

Surveys show that US students' geography knowledge ranks far below students in such countries as Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Canada. Even worse, geographical literacy has declined over the years, so now many children cannot read maps or locate states, cities or other important physical features, even in the United States. But, lack of geographic knowledge is not restricted to children; A 1987 video entitled "A Private Universe" reported the findings of a study involving 23 graduating Harvard seniors, graduate students, faculty, and alumni. Only two out of twenty-three did not have misconceptions about either the seasons or phases of the moon.

Lack of geographic knowledge affects the future of your business, your community, and our country.

How can residents of your community participate in decisions on land use, flood control, industrial development policy, and a multitude of other issues if they lack the background to understand the various options available?

How can voters develop opinions on such matters as forest management in the Pacific Northwest, development policies for Mississippi River flood plains, or spending billions of dollars to clean up toxic waste dumps if they lack the basic geographic knowledge needed to understand these issues?

How can citizens evaluate US foreign policy options if they know nothing about the countries involved?

How can people assess the merits of international treaties such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) if they are ignorant of the participating countries?

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