how come many americans confuse sweden with switzerland?

Question

u dont have geography classes in the usa????i know its a small country,its just i ve met alot of highly educated ppl who make this idiot mistake.........

Answer 1

Johanna, I'm Swedish too, and you are so right. I don't know how many times I have heard or read this mistake. I, too, have been thinking that it is because Sweden is such a small country. But maybe it is because the USA is such a large country, so they are more self-sufficient, and don't feel the need to know as much about the rest of the world as a small country would. The National Geographic makes regular surveys of geographic literacy. In 2002 they made an international comparison of geography knowledge of young people (18-24) from nine countries (Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Sweden and the US) http://www.nationalgeographic.com/geosurvey2002/download/RoperSurvey.pdf . Sweden, Germany and Italy answered 70% of the questions correctly. France 61%, Japan 55%, GB 50%, Canada, USA and Mexico (in that order) less than 50%. Can you believe it, only 89% of Americans could locate USA on a map - fewer than most of the other countries! Less surprisingly, only 16% of the Americans could locate Sweden on a map. Only Mexico scored lower there. No wonder they mix us up with the Swiss. And Americans scored the bottom position on the question of the population in USA. "Notably, respondents in every other country surveyed were not only more able to select their home country's population than were young adults in the U.S., but they also more frequently estimated the correct United States population".
There are several factors that are discussed in the report that could explain why Americans' geographic knowledge is worse than in other countries. The American young people travel outside their home country a lot less than the other countries in the survey (21% in the last three years compared to the top position 92%, Sweden). Americans have also a much lower use of news sources for world events than all the other countries in the survey, especially when it comes to news sources more likely to report news on an in-depth level, such as newspapers, radio and magazines. If American media were better and more people used serious news sources, read newspapers etc, I'm sure that geographic knowledge would get much better too.

Answer 2

I'm American and I know geography very well because I travel, but I have noticed that most Americans don't know anything about anywhere. I never had a strickly geography class and don't ever remember studying any real maps since the 3rd grade when I had to learn the 50 states...Most schools here concentrate on math and science, which leaves most of us "lost" in this world...literally. But then again, not only do we not study the locations of other countries, we don't learn about their cultures either which is why a lot of Americans assume that Iranians are Arab...Yeah...They're not, they're Persian.

Answer 3

Americans can't even label all of their own sates, let alone understand a map of the world. I watched a video clip a while back where every person surveyed in NYC was shown a world map where Australia was labeled as one of the members of the "axis of evil" (Iran, North Korea, Afghanistan, etc.) and not one of them questioned the labeling. So really, it is not that you have met a lot of highly educated people who have made an idiot mistake, it is that you have met the brightest of the dumbest, and they have yet to meet your standards.

Answer 4

The only time I confuse them is when I have to think of their name in Spanish or Portuguese (like if I'm talking about the world cup with someone who speaks spanish or Portuguese... sueca or suecia???), other than that it's pretty easy to remember Switzerland has cantons and 4 official languages, Sweden's in scandinavia.

Answer 5

Swedes or Swiss.
two different countries, i know this, I'm an American, and I'm not a geologist!
so, i cant excuse why people do not understand in America. but, have you ever had this problem with people from another country?
are you generalizing and saying Americans do not understand geography?

Answer 6

Easy now, it's not because your country isn't great or distinguished, it's just that "swuh" sound at the beginning. Kind of like with Austria and Australia.

So, they're not confusing the countries per se, just the names--kind of like when a grandmother mixes up her grandkids' names, especially if they sound similar.

Answer 7

I don't know of anyone who would mistake those countries, perhaps it's because my father was 100% Swede but I cannot imagine people not knowing something simple like that.

Answer 8

Disagree with that final bit approximately it being the discern's fault. Yeah it has a lot to do with them because of the fact they seem to be a brilliant impact, however the atmosphere you're raised in performs a brilliant place. growing to be up, i did not care in any respect approximately preparation. i grow to be one in each of those known American young little ones who complained that there is not any element to it. interior the midst of my questions and insurrection, I merely did not pay interest or do properly in school which i myself remorseful approximately doing now. I did it to "get returned" on the adults for forcing me to be there. actually, I desire the tribal technique of coming up human beings hear. they'll publicly embarrass/shame adults, older young little ones, and elders in the event that they act out of line. the youngsters see this and attempt their ultimate to act to that end. Our society is screwed up however. We fee dumb issues and are alienated "for" being knowledgeable.

Answer 9

How come people named Johanna think all Americans are alike? FYI --most of us would know that proper names of countries SHOULD be capitalized too.

Answer 10

I don't know many people who do but probably because they both start with sw and are in europe.