# Do You Know Where Iraq Is On a Map? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 11, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888 "2009-12-11T18:18:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/21 "2009-12-11T20:07:59Z")
I can draw freehand a map of the world with all 194 countries on it, plus major territories, so yes. I’m a geography geek. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/22 "2009-12-11T20:12:40Z")
I’m also a geographer. It would be embarrassing to not be able to ID them on a map. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2009, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/23 "2009-12-11T20:40:19Z")
To test myself, I drew out a little rough sketch of Asia and Africa and marked where I thought they were. I nailed Iraq and Thailand with no problem, but I had Nigeria in central Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/24 "2009-12-12T19:08:15Z")
> [@Cat\_Fight](#): > > ETA I’d be curious to see how many Americans who are fine identifying countries in the Middle East would do with Canadian provinces. I’m not American, but I can tell you that while I can place something like 40 of the 50 US states correctly, I don’t even know how many provinces Canada has. I know there’s Alberta and Saskatchewan (sp?) and Newfoundland and… and… doh Quebec and… and… uh, is Yukon a province? Nunavut? Where is an atlas when you need one? _goes off in search of a map of Canada_ ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/25 "2009-12-12T19:09:53Z")
There was a little Facebook geography app that I played obsessively for a while. Some of the smaller countries in Africa and a lot of South America are fuzzy to me now, but I’m still solid on North America, Europe, most of Asia, and the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/26 "2009-12-12T19:15:40Z")
One thing that always fascinated me is that Los Angeles is about the same latitude as Casablanca, Beirut, and Baghdad. ---
**Author:** ![Ruminator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Ruminator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruminator)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/27 "2009-12-12T19:16:52Z")
> [@GregH](#): > > Polls often cite Americans’ ignorance of geography as disturbing, but do you think it is important to know these things? Nope. And I say that as a person who’s traveled worldwide. > [@](#): > > Seeing as the US is spending millions of dollars per day in Iraq and thousands have either died or been wounded, is expecting people to know where Iraq is important or frivolous? If there were cute dolphins or baby seals getting massacred in Iraq, we’d might know where it is. If it’s just soldiers, don’t expect too much. ---
**Author:** ![Peg\_Leg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/90db22/32.png) [@Peg\_Leg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg_Leg)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/28 "2009-12-12T19:19:53Z")
I’ve been to all 3, so yes. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/29 "2009-12-12T19:21:34Z")
Thailand - definitely Iraq - probably Nigeria - only by blind luck Frankly, I don’t see the need to keep that kind of information in my head. I can’t imagine any situation where I’d need to know where Nigeria is without also needing to know a hell of a lot more about Nigeria than I do. If I ever feel the need to do a little reading up on Nigeria, I can pretty easily get a map, too. Otherwise, it’s trivia, and not even a particularly interesting bit, like the fact that ducks have the largest penises of all birds. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/30 "2009-12-12T19:41:55Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > I can draw freehand a map of the world with all 194 countries on it, plus major territories, so yes. Mostly ditto. With one glaring exception - I am weak on Oceania, particularly more obscure island nations. I can find places like Fiji ( by shape and size ) and probably Tahiti ( out in the middle of nowhere ), but if you asked me right now where Nauru was, I couldn’t be absolutely sure. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/31 "2009-12-12T19:44:02Z")
Iraq: no problem. Thailand: second try. Nigeria: second try. ---
**Author:** ![nicole1912](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9de0a6/32.png) [@nicole1912](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicole1912)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/32 "2009-12-12T19:44:35Z")
> [@runcible\_spoon](#): > > ducks have the largest penises of all birds. Do they really? I don’t particularly want to google duck penises, so I’ll happily take your word for it and spread it as gospel, if you tell me it’s definitely true… ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/33 "2009-12-12T20:12:06Z")
> [@nicole1912](#): > > Do they really? I don’t particularly want to google duck penises, so I’ll happily take your word for it and spread it as gospel, if you tell me it’s definitely true… [Oh yes.](http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/enviro/EnviroRepublish_366856.htm) (Warning: picture) ETA: most birds don’t even have penises, so I don’t know how much competition there is. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/34 "2009-12-12T20:20:24Z")
> [@runcible\_spoon](#): > > [Oh yes.](http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/enviro/EnviroRepublish_366856.htm) (Warning: picture) And thus the phrase “Hung like a horse” bows out of usage in favor of its new, undeniably more impressive replacement, “Hung like a duck.” ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/35 "2009-12-12T20:21:40Z")
I could certainly get Iraq and Nigeria. I’d get a C on Africa as a whole, and the Balkans/Eastern Europe seem to defeat me no matter how hard I try. (Moldova especially, though Macedonia is no problem.) I like geography, and we have the hall done in maps (and a periodic table!). My 6yo can point out a lot of countries. Her favorite seems to be Mongolia, don’t know why. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/36 "2009-12-12T20:53:48Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > Mongolia, don’t know why. It’s got an awesome name. You’re probably just saying it too fast. Mmmmmoooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn- gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllll- llllllllllllia ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/37 "2009-12-12T20:58:42Z")
[Blank world map (PDF)](http://geography.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&zTi=1&sdn=geography&cdn=education&tm=22&gps=207_375_1276_706&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//d-maps.com/) [World map with countries filled in](http://maps-world.cn/map/world_map.GIF) ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/38 "2009-12-12T21:02:56Z")
African countries are hard to place. There are a lot of them and they are kind of congested on a map. Some have very similar names too. The middle east is easy. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/39 "2009-12-12T21:29:32Z")
> [@GregH](#): > > If anyone wants to try… here you go: [Test your geography knowledge - Middle East countries (includes Central and parts of Southern Asia) | Lizard Point Quizzes](http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/mideastquiz.html) I got Yemen and Oman and the UAE all mixed up. I have to admit that those are the Middle Eastern countries I know the least about. Other than that, I was ace. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888/40 "2009-12-12T21:51:30Z")
More from the LizardPoint quiz. (Hey, I’m supposed to writing papers right now. And I don’t want to.) Europe: 135 out of 144. I got some of the Central European countries mixed up. I do know where all of the former Yugoslav countries are, though. I cheated a bit, though, by living in the Balkans for a couple years, so I’ve been to most of them. Africa: 106 out of 162. This was kind of frustrating because I almost always know what PART of Africa a country is in (like I know that Guinea is in West Africa and that Botswana is in Southern Africa and that Tanzania is in East Africa) but getting it right on the map is a bit of a challenge. Asia: 88 out of 96. Apparently I DON’T know where Thailand is. I DO know where all the 'stans are, though. I think that’s actually awesomer, to be honest. South America: 34 out of 39. Hahaha. I got Venezuela and Colombia mixed up. This is embarrassing because one of the papers I am procrastinating on is about securing the Colombian/Ecuadorian border and I really ought to know where Colombia is. Also, I’ve actually been to Colombia. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-know-where-iraq-is-on-a-map/520888.md?page=3)