Mid-Afternoon Map: Three Maps That Explain The Map

If a steady stream of surveys is to be believed, declining geographic literacy is a growing threat to American security. Asked to identify Iran, for example, a surprising number of respondents put it in the Balkans. Some confused it with Greenland, and others, more inexplicably, located it Atlantis-like in the middle of the ocean. The one guy who guessed it was near Phoenix presumably wasn’t trying. Perhaps he resented being asked. Methodology matters, and if you interrupt someone during lunch demanding to know where Iran is you can’t expect them to throw down their sandwich and help you find it. 

Needless to say, the American Association of Geographers is upset. This, presumably, is their default state by now. They can’t really be surprised anymore, and undoubtedly also resent being constantly interrupted over meals to comment on another article about declining geographic literacy.