# Countries All People SHOULD be able to point out on a Map. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 29, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721 "2008-09-29T15:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/21 "2008-09-29T18:27:38Z")
The starting point is that you know the continents. If you don’t know the continents you’re a mouth-breathing moron. And if you know the continents, you already know one country, because you know Australia. Then take North America. Everyone in the world should know that the two big countries in North America are the US and Canada. And that Canada is the bigger emptier one to the north. Likewise, everyone should know that the big country in Asia is China. And that the big honking slab across the top of Eurasia is Russia. Siberia, the gulag, the nukes, the cold weather–it gets written up. If you don’t know it, you’re brain dead. And the big islands off the coast of Asia are Japan. Africa and South America, I’ll cut people slack. All the countries in Africa look alike. All the countries in South America look alike except for Argentina and Brazil. Yeah, you _should_ know those two, but I won’t automatically call you a mouth-breather if you don’t. Then there’s Europe. You’ve _got_ to know that the UK is the bigger island off the northwest coast. If you don’t, find a store and _buy_ a clue. And any half-educated Westerner should know Italy, France, and Spain. They’re big, they’re historically important, and they have distinct locations and shapes. For non-Westerners, maybe those countries aren’t as important. So only seven must-haves for everybody in the world–the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Russia, China, and Japan. But jeez, India, Brazil, New Zealand, Italy, France, and Spain are _not_ difficult. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/22 "2008-09-29T18:30:56Z")
> [@Aesiron](#): > > Why New Zealand? No offense to any Kiwis reading but it’s not a very prominent player on the world stage and though I can point to it readily, I know of no reason why some random non-Oceanic person \*\*should \*\*be able to. I think large islands/island nations with distinctive shapes should be fairly obviously recognised by most people, because they’re so clearly defined on the map. Off the top of my head I’d say that the majority of the following list should be identifiable by most people: Japan, the British Isles, Greenland, Iceland, Australia (if indeed it can be classed as an island), NZ, Taiwan, New Guinea, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and at a push Tierra del Fuego, that big one that makes up the mainland of the Philippines whose name eludes me, Borneo, Java, Sumatra, and my absolute favourite because it is so wacky-looking, Sulawesi. ---
**Author:** ![T\_SQUARE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9de053/32.png) [@T\_SQUARE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T_SQUARE)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/23 "2008-09-29T18:45:41Z")
I guess I don’t see the justification for Greenland. There are less than 60,000 people up there. For Americans, I would say the ‘musts’ are: US Canada Mexico Brazil Russia UK France Germany Spain Italy Saudi Arabia Iraq China Japan India Australia The ‘would be nices’ are: Argentina Portugal Cuba South Africa South Korea Afganistan ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/24 "2008-09-29T19:05:08Z")
I should clarify that this listing of counrties is meant to include your average person any place in the world. Ignoring immediate neighbors, which countries they should know. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/25 "2008-09-29T19:06:15Z")
I would add North and South Korea to the list of countries one “must” be able to point out. The U.S. fought a major conflict there. North Korea is a credible threat to our alliance with South Korea. South Korea is a major trading partner of the US. North Korea captured the [USS Pueblo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Pueblo_(AGER-2)) in 1968, supposedly on orders from the Soviet Union, and after releasing the crew, still holds the ship in its possession. And the US is highly concerned about North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and its claim to possess nuclear weapons. This region is of major interest to the US. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/26 "2008-09-29T19:08:05Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > … and my absolute favourite because it is so wacky-looking, Sulawesi. Yes, but it’s in the middle of a bunch of other islands, and some people know it better as Celebes, so I doubt if you’ll get a high level of recognition with it – especially with people who will have trouble telling Indonesia and the Philippines apart. ---
**Author:** ![Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a4c791/32.png) [@Frustrated\_Wonderer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frustrated_Wonderer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/27 "2008-09-29T19:09:28Z")
I think to ANY American or any person really, South Africa should be a must, it’s in the \*\*name \*\*for christ’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/28 "2008-09-29T19:19:51Z")
Homer Simpson on “Uruguay”: “you are gay”! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/29 "2008-09-29T19:28:16Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Yes, but it’s in the middle of a bunch of other islands, and some people know it better as Celebes, so I doubt if you’ll get a high level of recognition with it – especially with people who will have trouble telling Indonesia and the Philippines apart. You’re right, I concede. I only included it because I like the look of it - so much that I’m tentatively thinking of going there next year! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/30 "2008-09-29T19:35:56Z")
> [@T\_SQUARE](#): > > I guess I don’t see the justification for Greenland. There are less than 60,000 people up there. Canadians should be able to name all their neighbours. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/31 "2008-09-29T19:54:12Z")
Obligatory SatireWire link: [High-school students demand wars in easier-to-find countries](http://satirewire.com/news/jan02/geography.shtml). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/32 "2008-09-29T20:04:42Z")
I’ll admit that I have a little difficulty with Germany. I know it’s bordering and generally east of France, but there aren’t really any obvious landmarks to mark the borders. Likewise for several other Eastern European countries. And I know that one corner of the west coast of the Iberian peninsula is part of Spain and the rest is Portugal, but I can never remember whether the Spanish corner is to the north with Portugal nestled to the south of it, or the other way around. But there’s no excuse whatsoever for not recognizing, say, Italy. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/33 "2008-09-29T20:08:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ll And I know that one corner of the west coast of the Iberian peninsula is part of Spain and the rest is Portugal, but I can never remember whether the Spanish corner is to the north with Portugal nestled to the south of it, or the other way around. Portugal is to the “port” of Spain and “port” and “left” both have four letters. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/34 "2008-09-29T20:12:14Z")
The only ones that somebody anywhere in the world should know is Russia China USA. Since your adamant anybody anywhere, I would leave most countries off the list. It’s not important to a person in a country with civil war and no educational opportunity to know about places not involved with them. I would have left those three off the list but they’re the most likely to interfere in their country. Portugal is easy if you know Spain. It sits like a tick on Spain. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/35 "2008-09-29T20:21:44Z")
Chile. ---
**Author:** ![Spectralist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Spectralist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectralist)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/36 "2008-09-29T20:57:22Z")
None. I don’t see why someone with absolutely no interest in geography, and no use for it, should need know where any country is. What’s the benefit of it? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/37 "2008-09-29T22:34:29Z")
> [@Spectralist](#): > > None. I don’t see why someone with absolutely no interest in geography, and no use for it, should need know where any country is. What’s the benefit of it? So you don’t do something stupid like [this person.](http://www.capebretonpost.com/index.cfm?sid=172923&sc=145) I have a couple of friends who have no interest in geography. I can’t begin to understand them - the expressions ‘no interest’ followed by any branch of knowledge do not combine for me, not even as metaphor or sarcasm. They have my pity… The story of our species is in part the story of our response to our surroundings. How can you understand the virtuosic specialization that is the Innu culture if you don’t understand their geography? What about the epic voyages undertaken by Thor Heyerdahl - if you’ve no knowledge of geography, how can you understand his accomplishment? Even a simple question like the planning of your community - it is all in response to your geography, and your community’s interaction with it. Do you alter your surroundings, or do they alter you? If you alter them, what are the consequences? To me, having no interest in geography is as strange as being uninterested in music. Tone-deafness, I can sympathize with, but not being interested? I can’t grasp it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/38 "2008-09-29T22:38:02Z")
All of them. Anything less than 90% on a name and location geography test is unacceptable. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/39 "2008-09-29T22:42:55Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > All of them. Anything less than 90% on a name and location geography test is unacceptable. Oh, c’mon. I’m supposed to be able to tell all those itty bitty island nations in the Caribbean apart? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721/40 "2008-09-29T22:51:50Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Oh, c’mon. I’m supposed to be able to tell all those itty bitty island nations in the Caribbean apart? Why not? Are they lesser human beings because their country is so small? 😃 Ok, I’ll be generous. Any country larger than…Guyana. How’s that? That takes out most of the island nations, as well as some of the more cluttered parts of Western Africa. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/countries-all-people-should-be-able-to-point-out-on-a-map/465721.md?page=3)