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A recent survey from Morning Consult and Politico found that only 28% of Americans surveyed could accurately find Iran on an unlabeled map of the Middle east.
Only 23% could find it on an unlabeled world map.
Among those who were unable to correctly locate Iran, 8% incorrectly placed it in nearby Iraq—another country we have been in conflict with for decades.
<p>The survey highlighted American voters' lack of familiarity with world geography even as it related to countries that the US has been in long-term conflict with. Respondents' political affiliations and age were not strong factors in whether they could find Iran on the map.</p><p><div id="c7da91bc-8e44-492f-b7fd-c382c0e55bda"></div></p><p>Respondents' level of education and wealth were, however—more educated and wealthier voters were significantly more likely to be able to place Iran on the map.</p><p><strong>Joanna Piacenza, from <em>Morning Consult</em>, tweeted the results of the survey. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="5cb45" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="YCIEHZ1578686720"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214897192386908160" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">NEW from me: We asked folks to identify Iran on an unlabeled map.
28% of them got it right. Here's where they gues… https://t.co/FBeWDd9bOt</div> — Joanna Piacenza (@Joanna Piacenza)<a href="https://twitter.com/jpiacenza/statuses/1214897192386908160">1578489037.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>This isn't the first test of our geographic knowledge that we've failed completely. </strong></p><p><strong><em>Morning Consult</em>'s survey is based on <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/05/14/upshot/if-americans-can-find-north-korea-on-a-map-theyre-more-likely-to-prefer-diplomacy.html?mtrref=t.co&gwh=DE1CC1C692144CB5B193A7EDF968966D&gwt=pay&assetType=REGIWALL" target="_blank">another from 2017</a> asking Americans to locate North Korea. </strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="6b3ea" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="HIQZLG1578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214898308923240448" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This geography test was inspired by the great @kyledropp, who ran a similar test on North Korea back in 2017. https://t.co/vAbyhgy9VU</div> — Joanna Piacenza (@Joanna Piacenza)<a href="https://twitter.com/jpiacenza/statuses/1214898308923240448">1578489303.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>When the results of the Iran survey were shared on Twitter u<span style="background-color: initial;">sers were a bit confused by some of the answers.</span></strong><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="c4897" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="AQRQKY1578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214946012680347648" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza ...wh...whut?? 🤦♂️ https://t.co/IcGmOssf9j</div> — wok_on_fire (@wok_on_fire)<a href="https://twitter.com/catosknife1/statuses/1214946012680347648">1578500676.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="2fe86" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9UVR841578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1215296416572043265" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza The saddest part is it looks like they're picking Iraq...the LAST COUNTRY the US decided to invade and o… https://t.co/NwflkFwfO4</div> — Progres(sive)ing to Insanity (@Progres(sive)ing to Insanity)<a href="https://twitter.com/BrokeHrtLiberal/statuses/1215296416572043265">1578584219.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="6f3c6" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1G19YB1578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214952788188368897" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza WHO?! WHO guessed Italy? It’s a goddamned boot! Everyone should know at least that!</div> — Terminate and Stay Resident (@Terminate and Stay Resident)<a href="https://twitter.com/mark_earnest/statuses/1214952788188368897">1578502292.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="e1a93" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="CLBZAM1578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214922683877478406" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza @prisonculture you'd think after 17 years of war in Iraq they'd at least understand Iran isn't in Iraq...</div> — Brendon (@Brendon)<a href="https://twitter.com/3662brendon/statuses/1214922683877478406">1578495114.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>Some people argued that the results actually weren't too bad, all things considered.</strong><br></p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="b293d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="XAVR941578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214922459025215488" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza @CityBureaucrat On an unlabeled map? 28% is pretty good.</div> — Kevin (@Kevin)<a href="https://twitter.com/Kevinjlyonsgma1/statuses/1214922459025215488">1578495061.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="f03c5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="IO3KB01578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214932848874053636" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza Looks like about 50% guessed either Iran or Iraq. That’s actually not TOO bad.</div> — realLaocoön (@realLaocoön)<a href="https://twitter.com/ArmaVirumque312/statuses/1214932848874053636">1578497538.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="7c9bc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7OBC0J1578686721"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1215259066932527104" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@Kevinjlyonsgma1 @jpiacenza @CityBureaucrat A lot of guesses were close. It can be a little tricky for people to la… https://t.co/V1RWmGrCDI</div> — nancypantsy (@nancypantsy)<a href="https://twitter.com/nancypantsy/statuses/1215259066932527104">1578575314.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><strong>Many people weren't so much surprised by the survey results, just disappointed.</strong><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="ef1d4" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="QKL2DB1578686722"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214949626358501376" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza @damocrat How do you expect them to find Iran and Iraq on the map when they cannot even pronounce the na… https://t.co/8abF2fg4jx</div> — Louise Johnson (@Louise Johnson)<a href="https://twitter.com/CharlotDearling/statuses/1214949626358501376">1578501538.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="5c2f1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ID1D9M1578686722"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214950743440015361" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza I'd bet most would not be able to label all 50 states or identify Guatemala on a map. Americans know eve… https://t.co/cETeN421bO</div> — Leslieanne Warlick (@Leslieanne Warlick)<a href="https://twitter.com/LsfarmLw/statuses/1214950743440015361">1578501804.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="61479" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9H23MF1578686722"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1215031552205348864" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza Pretty sure some couldn't find the United States on an unlabeled map.</div> — Juebees (@Juebees)<a href="https://twitter.com/Juebees99/statuses/1215031552205348864">1578521070.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><br></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="1ce08" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="KCFJ6F1578686722"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1214948758942834688" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@jpiacenza @ictlogist A round of applause for those Americans who believe Iran is in Texas, please.</div> — Adrià Alsina Leal (@Adrià Alsina Leal)<a href="https://twitter.com/AdriaAlsina/statuses/1214948758942834688">1578501331.0</a></blockquote></div>
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</p><div id="87bcf" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="QXSJDU1578686722"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1215270685116858369" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@Kevinjlyonsgma1 @jpiacenza @CityBureaucrat Assuming that there's a margin of error from trolling and the like. At… https://t.co/YWhdwXl2nc</div> — Ingar Haugholt (@Ingar Haugholt)<a href="https://twitter.com/HaugholtIngar/statuses/1215270685116858369">1578578084.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>While the 1,995 people surveyed don't necessarily represent all Americans, it is troubling that only 28% of those polled could correctly locate Iran while a much higher percentage have vocal opinions on the country.<br></p><p>American citizens not being able to locate a country that we have been in conflict with for decades demonstrated an alarming trend, especially given recent calls to escalate hostilities and a possible war. </p>
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