Do you know your basic geography?

[Babablackship]

If presented with a map of Europe could you name the countries?

Just being curious as at a recent gathering many university and phd educated people couldn’t.

My knowledge is ok to good as Ihad a junior job with frequent rainy lunchtimes at one point and did computer map quizzes!

But we didn't do much at school at all. Geography had "moved on" hadn't it?

My kids have been looking at an Atlas with me for years as I think its quite empowering to have a bit of general knowledge, despite what school thinks!

I was talking to a neighbour the other day who has lived here for 20 years and has never been to Florence! I should point out that we live a 30 minute train ride from Florence - she just wasn't interested in seeing it.

83%, but I can never remember the descending order of the Baltic states, and I get confused about the Balkans, except Kosovo.

Baltic states - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - alphabetic order from the north. Balkans are trickier, not helped by Macedonia changing names to North Macedonia recently.

At least you can place North Macedonia above Greece which contains its own Macedonia.

I think of it as Slovenia is the other side of the Alps from Austria and Italy.
Then reading (roughly) left to right, Croatia comes next and is sort of a C shape . Then Bosnia-H. Then Serbia with Montenegro smaller at its base,

Nope, I could name all countries, most capitals and vague locations. But my mind goes completely blank when I get them sporkle tests or just outlines.

Al Murray (pub landlord) does a great routine in his stand-up shows about countries of the world. YouTube it.

Like a few pp said. I could do Western Europe but once I got to the balkans I'd probably be lost. The break up of Yugoslavia hasn't helped .

No. I'm shit.

My 8 year old is great with a map.

I'm quite good at it. I enjoy it too.

I admit to being slightly hazy when it comes to countries in Eastern Europe which used to be part of the former Soviet Union. I know roughly where they are, but would have to look them up to be precise.

The tip about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania being in alphabetical order from top to bottom is a good one, that sort of thing really helps me to remember and I got those three completely wrong when I did the quiz.

I can remember that Croatia is the Balkan with the long coastline and I suspect that was where people went on holiday when they used to go to Yugoslavia in the 1970s and 80s.

I was disappointed that I messed up the Balkan region so badly as I've read a lot of humorous travel books by people who've travelled around there, but then again one of the writers did mention an elderly lady who had lived in four different countries over the years without ever actually moving house.

Yes, I can. At primary school we had to learn all the countries, their capitals and major seas and rivers. I am 49

Do you know the ones that have changed? Yugoslavia is no more and lots of African countries changed their names after independence.

OP

My mum would not fly so to get to Spain we drive from the north of England to Dover and then Calais to the rest, we would take turns with an road map navigating.

Yes but as I teach geography I'd expect to know them.

96% on the quiz, I muddled up San Marino and Liechtenstein

I only know the capital of Switzerland thanks to recently listening to John Finnemore - he had a sketch featuring a 'capitals of Europe song'.

Errol - love that too!

I'm not sure how well I could, my husband could. My 14 year old daughter could. She has just finished year 10 and during the last term they learnt all the capital cities of Europe, rivers etc in her geography classes. Apparently her teacher said that as some of them weren't continuing with geography for GCSE she thought it was would be fun and would stand them in good stead.

Geography would be a strong topic for me. I reckon I could hold my own with a map yes.

Bit vague around the Balkans Have you seen a doctor?

Brilliant reply.

I'm shocked at the hair dresser not knowing where she had been, I'd find it unbelievable if I hadn't spoken to people who really struggled with basic knowledge needed for every day life.

I know where some countries are preciseiy, (mostly those I have been to) for others I can pin point their approximate location (so Eastern Europe / Central Europe) and for the rest I know which continent they are on but exact spot eludes me.

It's just something I haven't bothered to commit to memory - I guess I could make a point of learning them but am not sufficiently motivated

Sorry - just realised I answered globally there rather than for Europe. For Europe I would be around 85% accurate

Yes, I would be disappointed if my elder dd didn't get them all right too(the younger perhaps not, she wasn't sure where Sussex was, she thought it was near Essex!)

As a child we had wooden jigsaws of counties of UK, states of USa, countries of Europe/Asia/world etc, absolutely loved them.

At school I adored Geography, it was my favourite subject had I taken it more recently I know my A OLevel would have been A* , we had a superb geography teacher who was STILL THERE when DD started secondary.

Quite sure I'd get over 90% even though borders have changed so much. Another good family score on pub quiz teams!

Yes I used to know them, although quite a few in Eastern Europe and the Balkans I'd struggle with, because it has all changed since I learned it.

I'm fairly good with the rest of the world, and I used to know all the countries in the Commonwealth and stuff like that too. Mainly because my dad was an avid stamp collector when I was a kid.

I am ashamed to say that I am a secondary school teacher, and have been educated to a high level, and I haven't ever been taught it.

I could name the UK, Spain, France, Netherlands and Italy on a map and that's about it