National Geographics International Survey of Geographic Knowledge November, 2002

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National Geographics International Survey of
Geographic Knowledge November, 2002

• Prepared by Jack Bovee
• Collier District Schools
• Naples, FL

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The Survey
In November, 2002, an international survey was
conducted for the National Geographic by
RoperASW. The results are based on face-to-face
interviews with at least 300 men and women aged
18 to 24 in Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Sweden, Britain and the United
States. Fifty-six questions were asked of
participants and the results of twenty are given
here.
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Compare your wits against young adults from
across the world in the slides that follow. The
button will give you the answer and data as
to the correct score for each nation. The
button will advance you to the next question.
The button will return you to the previous
slide.
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Question 1

• Which of the following ranges contains the
  correct population of the United States today?

Answer

• Between 10 million and 50 million
• Between 150 million and 350 million
• Between 500 million and 750 million
• Between 1 billion and 2 billion
• I dont know

Next
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Question 2

• Which of the following religions has the
• largest number of followers worldwide?

Answer

• Christianity
• Islam
• Judaism
• Hinduism
• I Dont Know

Next
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Question 3

• The Taliban and al Queda movements were both
  based in which country?

• Iraq
• Pakistan
• Israel
• Albania
• Afghanistan
• I dont know

Answer
Next
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Question 4

• Which of the following organizations endorses the
  euro as the common currency for its members?

• World Trade Organization (WTO)
• North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• European Union (EU)
• Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
  (OPEC)
• North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)
• I dont know

Answer
Next
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Question 5

• Which region of the world is currently the
  largest exporter of oil?

Answer

• Middle East
• Southeast Asia
• Latin America
• Australia
• I dont know

Next
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Question 6

• Which two countries have had a longstanding
  conflict over the region of Kashmir?

Answer

• Israel and Egypt
• India and Pakistan
• China and Russia
• Iran and Iraq
• I dont know

Next
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Question 7

• Periodically, drastic changes in ocean
  temperature cause weather changes around the
  world. What is the name of this occurrence?

Answer

• El Nino
• Tornado
• Gulf Stream
• Global Warming
• I dont know

Next
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Question 8

• Which of the following has the highest percentage
  of its population infected with HIV, the virus
  that causes the disease AIDS?

• North America
• Central America
• South America
• Europe
• Africa
• Asia
• Australia
• I dont know

Answer
Next
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Question 9

• Pick the only two countries that have populations
  of over one billion people?

Answer

• China and the United States of America
• China and India
• India and Indonesia
• Brazil and India
• Russia and China
• I dont know

Next
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Question 10

• Take a minute and look at the map below. What is
  the westernmost city on this map?

• City A
• City B
• City C
• City D
• City E
• City F
• City G
• I dont know

Answer
Next
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Question 11

• Take a minute and look at the map below. The
  United States of America is shown by what number
  of the map?

Answer
Next

• 10 B. 15 C. 46 D. 25
  E. I dont know

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Question 12

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Russia
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 27 B. 46 C. 55 D. 12
  E. I dont know

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Question 13

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Japan
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 5 B. 11 C. 17 D. 26
  E. I dont know

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Question 14

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Mexico
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 10 B. 11 C. 19 D. 21
  E. I dont know

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Question 15

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Italy
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 1 B. 5 C. 34 D. 38
  E. I dont know

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Question 16

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Sweden
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 5 B. 11 C. 43 D. 54
  E. I dont know

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Question 17

• Take a minute and look at the map below. The
  Pacific Ocean is shown by what number of the
  map?

Answer
Next

• 30 B. 40 C. 50 D. 60
  E. I dont know

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Question 18

• Take a minute and look at the map below.
  Afghanistan is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 23 B. 34 C. 41 D. 46
  E. I dont know

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Question 19

• Take a minute and look at the map below. Israel
  is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 16 B. 22 C. 45 D. 58
  E. I dont know

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Question 20

• Take a minute and look at the map below.
  Argentina is shown by what number of the map?

Answer
Next

• 12 B. 22 C. 32 D. 42
  E. I dont know

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Some highlights from the Survey

• Despite the age (18-24) when young Americans
  would be in college or at prime military age, the
  typical Americans lack of knowledge was
  shocking.
• Americans had the MOST inaccurate estimate of
  their own nations population.
• Americans had the MOST inaccurate location of the
  nation that formerly harbored al Queda terrorists
  and was ruled by the Taliban.

Next
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Some highlights from the Survey

• Despite the daily bombardment of news from the
  Middle East, Central Asia, and other world
  trouble spots, roughly 85 percent of young
  Americans could not find Afghanistan, Iraq, or
  Israel on a map, according to a new study.
• Only 51 percent of the Americans surveyed could
  find New York, the nation's third most populous
  state.
• Less than half (only 42) of the Americans could
  locate Japan

Next
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Some highlights from the Survey

• nearly 30 percent of those Americans surveyed
  could not find the Pacific Ocean, the worlds
  largest body of water
• more than half56 percentwere unable to locate
  India, home to 17 percent of people on Earth

Next
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Recent Geographic News Reports
Read the Surveys Summary Results Report Survey
Reveals Geographic Illiteracy Read the article
Young Adults Lagging in Geographic
Knowledge Read the article American Kids Flunk
Geography
Next
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Some questions to ponder

• What possibly can account for the dismal
  knowledge of current events and geography among
  our college age young adults?
• Does this ignorance pose a problem for the future
  of our nation?
• What steps should be taken to reverse this rising
  tide of mediocrity among Americans?

Next
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Top Games of Geographic Literacy from National
Geographic
Go West with Lewis and Clark - http//www.national
geographic.com/west/main.html Fantastic
Forest http//magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngforki
ds/0201/adventures/ Pony Auction! http//magma.nat
ionalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0204/games/game.cgi
Monterey Bay Deepworker Submarine http//www.na
tionalgeographic.com/monterey/ax/primary_fs.html
National Geographic ONLINE ADVENTURES
! http//www.nationalgeographic.com/geographyactio
n/backyard/games.htmloladv
Next
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More Sites of Geographic Literacy from National
Geographic!
Geospy Game http//www.nationalgeographic.com/g
eospy The GeoSpy Agency needs you. Help us
identify continents, countries, states, and
provinces and youll earn full GeoSpy agent
status! Xpedition Hall Geographys Fun
Housewww.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/hall/
Climb a mountain, hover over the Earth, visit an
archeological dig, and more in our interactive
geography museum. Kids Home Pagewww.nationalgeo
graphic.com/kidsCheck in here to find all our
fun kid stuffgames, postcards, quizzes, science
experiments, and more!
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Student Activities
Teachers should make the power point with the
hyperlinked readings available to
students. Students may be provided with the
two-page handout National Geographic Survey
Summary Results for convenience. Distribute and
have students complete the attached activity
sheet.
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The End
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Question 1

• Which of the following ranges contains the
  correct population of the United States today?
• ANSWER - B - Between 150 350 Million

Return
34
Question 2

• Which of the following religions has the largest
  number of followers worldwide?
• Answer A- Christianity

Return
35
Question 3

• The Taliban and al Queda movements were both
  based in which country?
• Answer E- Afghanistan

Return
36
Question 4

• Which of the following organizations endorses the
  euro as the common currency for its members?
• Answer C- the European Union

Return
37
Question 5

• Which region of the world is currently the
  largest exporter of oil?
• Answer A- Middle East

Return
38
Question 6

• Which two countries have had a longstanding
  conflict over the region of Kashmir?
• Answer B- India and Pakistan

Return
39
Question 7

• Periodically, drastic changes in ocean
  temperature cause weather changes around the
  world. What is the name for this occurrence?
• Answer A- El Nino

Return
40
Question 8

• Which of the following has the highest percentage
  of its population infected with HIV, the virus
  that causes the disease AIDS?
• Answer E- Africa

Return
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Question 9

• Pick the only two countries that have populations
  of over one billion people.
• Answer B- China and India

Return
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Question 10

• Take a minute and look at the map below. What is
  the westernmost city on this map?
• Answer G

Answer
Return
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Question 10

• Take a minute and look at the map below. What is
  the westernmost city on this map? Answer G

Return
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Question 11

• Take a minute to look at the map below. The
  United States of America is shown by what number
  on the map?
• Answer B- Number 15

Return
45
Question 12

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Russia
  is shown by what number on the map?
• Answer A- Number 27

Return
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Question 13

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Japan is
  shown by what number on the map?
• Answer C- Number 17

Return
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Question 14

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Mexico
  is shown by what number on the map?
• Answer D- Number 21

Return
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Question 15

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Italy is
  shown by what number on the map?
• Answer A- Number 1

Return
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Question 16

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Sweden
  is shown by what number on the map?
• Answer C- Number 43

Return
50
Question 17

• Take a minute to look at the map below. The
  Pacific Ocean is shown by what number on the map?
  
• Answer A- Number 30

Return
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Question 18

• Take a minute to look at the map below.
  Afghanistan is shown by what number on the map?
  
• Answer C - Number 41

Return
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Question 19

• Take a minute to look at the map below. Israel
  is shown by what number on the map?
• Answer D - Number 58

Return
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Question 20

• Take a minute to look at the map below.
  Argentina is shown by what number on the map?
• Answer B - Number 22

Return