If you build it out a little, it might just mean most folks are only interested in the place THEY know and experience. I bet most can tell you the best place to get a good omelette in their hometown or the best landmarks to get to a place.

Place and geographic identity is nearly always more local than global. This statistic might align with that concept:

# Fewer than three in 10 think it important to know the locations of countries in the news and just 14 percent believe speaking another language is a necessary skill.

My 10-year old had to memorize the US map and every state’s capital a couple of weeks ago. He learned all of them, but will cramming for one test really make it stick with him?

I’m beginning to think the problem really lies with the culture, i.e. the parents. For example, when my son hears “Iraq” on the news and asks where it is, instead of saying, “Oh, it’s over in the Middle East,” I should probably grab a map and spend 5 minutes showing him EXACTLY where Iraq is.

My guess is that parents in countries that rank higher education-wise do a better job of working teaching into everyday interaction. Something for us parents here to work on…still, improving the public school systems wouldn’t hurt! If some of the billions spent in Iraq went to the public school systems, maybe the kids wouldn’t all be out selling fundraiser crapola twice a year. Can you tell that’s a pet peeve of mine? :-)