Why pick on Americans? There are many people in England who couldn't point to Wales on a map.

An English person once crashed out of Who Wants to be a Millionaire because he didn't know which English county was bordered by only one other county (and he took 50/50, so only had 2 to chose from). It seems obvious to me, but I'm a southerner, if you asked me a question about counties bordering Northumberland I wouldn't have a clue.

Many people in Wiltshire don't know what their own county town is (Trowbridge). And owning a passport doesn't make you a fount of knowledge. A friend of mine recently exchanged £300 into pesetas before going skiing in the French Alps.

Ignorance is not the exclusive preserve of Americans.