In a world with Yahoo Maps, GPS devices and OnStar-equipped vehicles, why does knowing geography matter, anyway?

Can't find something on a map? Google it. Studying all those capitals, countries and continents is so, well, 20th century. Boriiiing. Besides all those borders keep changing anyway. How's an American supposed to keep up?

So what if we live in a world where 130,000 Americans are fighting right now in...anyone? Anyone? Iraq. And Iraq is located...anyone? Anyone?

Time's up, dudes — and your only consolation is that you're not alone. More than six in 10 young adults (18- to 24-year-olds) surveyed by Roper Public Affairs for National Geographic last winter couldn't find Iraq on a map.

Here's a clue: It's right next to Iran, a country that is loudly proclaiming its right to develop nuclear weapons that may one day be used to threaten American interests. Wait, that Iran hint is no help. More than seven in 10 of those surveyed couldn't find Iran on a map either.

All right, let's try this: Iran looks like a giant snail. It's right next to Afghanistan. You know, Afghanistan, the dusty and mountainous country the United States invaded right after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks? The one that's right next to Pakistan. Pakistan? Horrific earthquake?

Let's switch continents. Somewhere out there, an additional 37,000 Americans are patrolling the most heavily fortified border in the world. No, not the one between Mexico and the United States, or Russia and China. The mine-filled border that American troops have patrolled for more than half a century is between North and South Korea. Except seven of 10 survey respondents can't find the Koreas.

OK then, here's another consolation. We're not sure a sample of Americans older than 24 would score one whit better on a geography test.

In not that many years, though, today's young people will be running this country. They will inherit a world that doesn't resemble the one their survey responses reflect. Most of them believe English is the most widely used language (wrong — it's Mandarin Chinese) and nearly half believe India is majority Muslim (wrong — Muslims make up just 13 percent of India's Hindu-dominated population).

It's a world in which three of every four respondents couldn't find Israel on a map of the Middle East, or India on a map of Asia. Now, why could knowing that trivia possibly matter for the future of American national or economic security?

You could dismiss this as ignorant Americans not caring about the rest of the world or this country's role in it. Except for this: Nearly half of those surveyed also couldn't pinpoint Louisiana or New York on a map. There's nothing foreign about American geographic ignorance.

Three of 10 young adults surveyed put the U.S. population at between 1 billion and 2 billion. Um, 300 million is closer. It's going to come as a big shock to those poll respondents if and when the countries that really are that big — China and India — eat their lunch. Time to learn "Would you like fries with that?" in Mandarin.