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| titletext = It's not our fault we caught a group on their way home from a geography bee. And they taught us that Uzbekistan is one of the world's two doubly-landlocked countries! | | titletext = It's not our fault we caught a group on their way home from a geography bee. And they taught us that Uzbekistan is one of the world's two doubly-landlocked countries! | ||
}} | }} | ||
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | ''See a larger version at [http://xkcd.com/850_large/ http://xkcd.com/850_large/].'' | ||
− | There's a somewhat well-circulated image on the internet entitled "The World According to Americans" which plays on the stereotype of the ignorant American. In it, the entirety of Eastern Europe and most of Asia are entitled "commies" and the Middle-East as "evil-doers," and so on. Later, other people created similar maps to re-do the concept. It later spread to other cultures. | + | There's a somewhat well-circulated image on the internet entitled "[http://google.com/search?q=the+world+according+to&tbm=isch The World According to Americans]" which plays on the stereotype of the ignorant American. In it, the entirety of Eastern Europe and most of Asia are entitled "commies" and the Middle-East as "evil-doers," and so on. Later, other people created similar maps to re-do the concept. It later spread to other cultures. This comic is an anti-joke playing on that idea. You expect to see something which plays on the stereotypes that exist in American culture of various parts of the world. However, instead, the map is remarkably well-informed. The title text expands on the joke. |
− | + | A few notes about things written inside the map: | |
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{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
!style="width: 25%;"|Annotation | !style="width: 25%;"|Annotation | ||
! Further details | ! Further details | ||
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− | | Hey so what projection should we use? I’ll aim for | + | | Hey so what projection should we use? I’ll aim for “Robinson”. |
| Any flat [[977|map projection]] of a sphere must have inaccuracies. {{w|Mercator projection}} displays shapes well at the expense of size. For example, Mercator's Greenland appears larger than South America, but is actually one eighth the size. {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} does the opposite, showing accurate surface area with distorted ("awful") shapes. {{w|Robinson projection}} compromises between shape & size for aesthetics; hence Greenland is "still too big". | | Any flat [[977|map projection]] of a sphere must have inaccuracies. {{w|Mercator projection}} displays shapes well at the expense of size. For example, Mercator's Greenland appears larger than South America, but is actually one eighth the size. {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} does the opposite, showing accurate surface area with distorted ("awful") shapes. {{w|Robinson projection}} compromises between shape & size for aesthetics; hence Greenland is "still too big". | ||
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| Did you know Maine is actually the US state closest to Africa? | | Did you know Maine is actually the US state closest to Africa? | ||
− | | The distance | + | | The distance ist about 5076 km (~3754 mi). Measurement points are {{w|Sail Rock (disambiguation)|Sail Rock (Maine)}}, the most eastern point of the USA, and a point which seems to be the most southern (and as such western) point of el-Beddouza Beach, {{w|Morocco}}. It's not the most western point of Morocco (or Africa), though. |
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| Do we have to label all the Virgin Islands? | | Do we have to label all the Virgin Islands? | ||
− | | Which are {{w|Virgin_Islands#Larger_Islands|9 larger}} and about 100 {{w|List of Caribbean islands#British Virgin Islands|smaller}} {{w|List of Caribbean islands#United States Virgin Islands|islands}} - surely a lot of labels | + | | Which are {{w|Virgin_Islands#Larger_Islands|9 larger}} and about 100 {{w|List of Caribbean islands#British Virgin Islands|smaller}} {{w|List of Caribbean islands#United States Virgin Islands|islands}} - surely a lot of labels. |
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| French, and I think Dutch and English | | French, and I think Dutch and English | ||
− | | The three separated areas are (from west to east) {{w|Guyana}} (former British colony), {{w|Suriname}} (former Dutch colony) and {{w|French Guiana}} (still officially part of France). The former two often switched between French, Dutch and British colonial rule. The latter was French most times except | + | | The three separated areas are (from west to east) {{w|Guyana}} (former British colony), {{w|Suriname}} (former Dutch colony) and {{w|French Guiana}} (still officially part of France). The former two often switched between French, Dutch and British colonial rule. The latter was French most times except of a short Portuguese episode. |
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| Brazil (Portugese-speaking) | | Brazil (Portugese-speaking) | ||
Rest of South America (Spanish-speaking) | Rest of South America (Spanish-speaking) | ||
− | | In green is Portuguese-speaking | + | | In green is Portuguese-speaking Brazil, and in blue are the Spanish speaking Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. |
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| {{w|Greenland}} (Still too big!) | | {{w|Greenland}} (Still too big!) | ||
Yeah, but the Peters map is awful | Yeah, but the Peters map is awful | ||
| Relating back to the choice of map projection, the apparent size of Greenland is one of the most commonly known projection based inaccuracies. The {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} shows accurate surface area, but with distorted ("awful") shapes. | | Relating back to the choice of map projection, the apparent size of Greenland is one of the most commonly known projection based inaccuracies. The {{w|Gall-Peters projection}} shows accurate surface area, but with distorted ("awful") shapes. | ||
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| British Isles | | British Isles | ||
Ireland | Ireland | ||
− | | Although {{w|Ireland}} belongs to the {{w|British Isles}} geographically, it does not belong to the {{w|British Islands}} politically. That may be the reason why Ireland is | + | | Although {{w|Ireland}} belongs to the {{w|British Isles}} geographically, it does not belong to the {{w|British Islands}} politically. That may be the reason why Ireland is labelled additionally - to show it's known that Ireland does not belong to the {{w|United Kingdom}}. {{w|Northern Ireland}} does, though. |
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| Rainforest DRC | | Rainforest DRC | ||
− | | The area shown is actually not completely the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (DRC), but since | + | | The area shown is actually not completely the {{w|Democratic Republic of the Congo}} (DRC), but since Randall said he doesn't know the African map very well (see statement below), it's fairly accurate. |
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| So this is one of those things where you point out our ignorance and stereotypes? | | So this is one of those things where you point out our ignorance and stereotypes? | ||
Yeah – I mean I freely admit I don’t know the African map very well, which speaks volumes in itself. | Yeah – I mean I freely admit I don’t know the African map very well, which speaks volumes in itself. | ||
− | | | + | | The African portion of the map is perhaps the most poorly labelled, which lends weight to the stereotype of the 'Ignorant American'. Although it has to be mentioned, that the geography of Africa is in general not well known - at least within the Western world. So that's not really an American thing, here. The few countries which are labelled here mostly are well known because of their unstable political situation or because of their remarkable location. The labelled locations (and the presumably reasons of their "publicity") are west to east, north to south: {{w|Morocco}} ({{w|Arab Spring}}, location), {{w|Algeria}} (Arab Spring, {{w|Algerian Civil War|Civil War}}), {{w|Sahara|Sahara Desert}} (largest hot desert of the world), {{w|Sudan}} ({{w|Second Sudanese Civil War|Civil war}}, Arab Spring), {{w|West Africa}} ({{w|West Africa#Postcolonial era|Lots of Civil wars}} and thus bad humanitary situation, {{w|Blood diamond|Blood diamonds}}), {{w|Somalia}} ({{w|Somali Civil War|Civil war}}, {{w|Piracy in Somalia|pirates}}), {{w|Lake Victoria}} (largest lake of Africa, quite remarkable even at large scale maps (as here)), {{w|Mozambique}} ({{w|Mozambican Civil War|Civil war}}), {{w|Angola}} ({{w|Angolan Civil War|Civil War}}) and {{w|Madagascar}} (large island at the east coast - quite remarkable). |
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| Cape Horn | | Cape Horn | ||
− | | {{w|Cape Horn}} is the southern tip of ''South America'', not ''Africa''. The southern tip of Africa is called {{w|Cape | + | | {{w|Cape Horn}} is the southern tip of ''South America'', not ''Africa''. The southern tip of Africa is called {{w|Cape of Good Hope}}. |
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| Should we include {{w|Antarctica}}? | | Should we include {{w|Antarctica}}? | ||
Let’s not – these guys are looking impatient | Let’s not – these guys are looking impatient | ||
− | | | + | | This is probably a joke on the lack of labels that would be required for Antarctica. Drawing Antarctica and labelling it would probably take less time than having the discussion about whether to include it, and then writing that discussion on the map. |
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| {{w|Aral Sea}} (Gone) | | {{w|Aral Sea}} (Gone) | ||
− | | | + | | Former one of the largest fresh-water lakes of the world, now actually not completely gone, but almost. |
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− | | | + | | Various former soviet states |
− | | | + | | Which are (west to east) {{w|Kazakhstan}}, {{w|Turkmenistan}}, {{w|Uzbekistan}}, {{w|Tajikistan}} and {{w|Kyrgyzstan}}. The former {{w|Soviet Union|Union of Soviet Socialist Republics}} was dissolved in 1991 and thus the {{w|Cold War}} had ended. |
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| Boxing Day quake | | Boxing Day quake | ||
− | Wait, | + | Wait, “Boxing day”? There’s no way you’re American. |
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I read BBC News, OK? | I read BBC News, OK? | ||
| On December 26, 2004, a {{w|2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|huge earthquake}} struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing severe tsunamis. December 26, the day after {{w|Christmas Day}}, is celebrated as {{w|Boxing Day}} in the UK, Canada, Australia, and some other English-speaking countries, but not the US. As such, the earthquake became known as the Boxing Day Quake. | | On December 26, 2004, a {{w|2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami|huge earthquake}} struck off the coast of Indonesia, causing severe tsunamis. December 26, the day after {{w|Christmas Day}}, is celebrated as {{w|Boxing Day}} in the UK, Canada, Australia, and some other English-speaking countries, but not the US. As such, the earthquake became known as the Boxing Day Quake. | ||
− | One of the | + | One of the group picks up on the use of 'Boxing Day' as something no American would say. Even an American reader of {{w|BBC News}} (part of the British Broadcasting Corporation) may start to use the phrase "Boxing Day." |
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| India -> Mostly Muslim | | India -> Mostly Muslim | ||
India -> Mostly Hindu | India -> Mostly Hindu | ||
− | | In general {{w|India}} is separated in {{w|Religion in India|two religious groups}}. Muslims in the north-west, Hindus in the rest | + | | In general {{w|India}} is separated in {{w|Religion in India|two religious groups}}. Muslims in the north-west, Hindus in the rest. |
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| Tibet (contested) | | Tibet (contested) | ||
− | | The area was annexed by the {{w|People's Republic of China}} in the | + | | The area was annexed by the {{w|People's Republic of China}} in the 1950's. Since then there are struggles to gain independence, again. The marked area represents the former {{w|Kingdom of Tibet}}. while today's {{w|Tibet Autonomous Region}} is roughly the southern half of the marked area extended a bit to the south-east. |
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| Kamchatka Peninsula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk | | Kamchatka Peninsula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk | ||
− | |''{{w|Risk (game)|Risk}}'' is a board game played on a map of the world, where players own territories and battle each other for world domination. The person in the comic admits to knowing {{w|Kamchatka Peninsula}} only from the territory "Kamchatka" in the game | + | |''{{w|Risk (game)|Risk}}'' is a board game played on a map of the world, where players own territories and battle each other for world domination. The person in the comic admits to knowing {{w|Kamchatka Peninsula}} only from the territory "Kamchatka" in the game. |
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| Koreas | | Koreas | ||
− | | The two Koreas are the | + | | The two Koreas are the ''{{w|Democratic People's Republic of Korea}}'' (North Korea) and the ''{{w|Republic of Korea}}'' (South Korea). |
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| Japan, duh. | | Japan, duh. | ||
− | | Well...{{w|Japan}} | + | | Well... {{w|Japan}}. |
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− | | | + | | Taiwan (actually called “The Republic of China” – it’s complicated. |
− | | | + | | This is a reference to the complicated political history of {{w|Taiwan}}. After the {{w|Chinese Civil War}}, the Nationalists fled China for Taiwan and set up a government in exile there, vowing to return. In the intervening 70 years or so, Taiwan eventually began to transform into a democracy, but hasn't shed the name, or the animosity with China. There is also a missing end-paren here, which is either a typo or a reference to [[859]]. The tag 'it's complicated' is one of the options for relationship statuses on Facebook, and denotes two people whose relationship defies the usual labels. In this case it is the relationship between the countries which is complicated. |
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| Paupa New Guinea | | Paupa New Guinea | ||
− | | A | + | | A typo of {{w|Papua New Guinea}}. |
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| Phillipines | | Phillipines | ||
− | | A | + | | A typo of the {{w|Philippines}}. |
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+ | The title text jokes that in fact the only reason that the map is fairly well annotated is that the group of people labelling it were actually on the way back from a {{w|National Geographic Bee|geography bee (competition)}}. This would call into question that surely a competitor in a geography competition should be able to do better than the map shown, which would thus reinforce the 'Ignorant American' stereotype, as this is an American ''expert''. | ||
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+ | A landlocked country is a country that does not border any major bodies of water. Furthering the concept, a doubly-landlocked country is a country that not only has no connection to water, but is only bordered by ''other'' landlocked countries. As the title text states, there are only two such countries in the world as of 2012: {{w|Uzbekistan}} and {{w|Liechtenstein}}. This is the type of fact that may be stereotypically expected of a geography bee competitor. | ||
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
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:THE WORLD | :THE WORLD | ||
:According to a Group of | :According to a Group of | ||
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:[Greenland.] Greenland (still too big!); Yeah but the Peters map is awful; Iceland | :[Greenland.] Greenland (still too big!); Yeah but the Peters map is awful; Iceland | ||
− | :[Europe.] British Isles; | + | :[Europe.] British Isles; Ireland; Gibralter; Scandanavia; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; Black sea; Middle East |
:[Africa.] Morocco; Algera; Sahara Desert; West Africa; Sudan; Rainforest DRC; Lake Victoria; Somalia; Angola; Mozambique; South Africa; Cape Horn; Madagascar | :[Africa.] Morocco; Algera; Sahara Desert; West Africa; Sudan; Rainforest DRC; Lake Victoria; Somalia; Angola; Mozambique; South Africa; Cape Horn; Madagascar | ||
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:[Pacific Ocean.] Kamchatka Pennisula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk. | :[Pacific Ocean.] Kamchatka Pennisula, but I admit I only know this one from Risk. | ||
− | :Koreas; Japan, duh.; Taiwan (actually called "The Republic of China." – it's complicated.); Phillipines; Malaysia; Indonesia; | + | :Koreas; Japan, duh.; Taiwan (actually called "The Republic of China." – it's complicated.); Phillipines; Malaysia; Indonesia; Sulawest; Paupa New Guinea; Australia; Tasmania; New Zealand |
:[South of Africa.] Should we include Antarctica? | :[South of Africa.] Should we include Antarctica? | ||
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[[Category:Comics with color]] | [[Category:Comics with color]] | ||
[[Category:Geography]] | [[Category:Geography]] | ||
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