Mitch Cronin Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 "Hey Dad", says one of 'em while we're eating supper... "What's the biggest country in the world?" " " ..thinks me... "USSR used to be..." "Russia still is" sez my son... "Canada's number two" sez someone... " "..thinks me, some more... Finally I say "I don't think it's Russia" "Yes it is!" insists the young lad... "Ok let's find out..." We proceed thumbing through atlases, only to find that all of the ones we have still have the USSR in 'em... Then to the internet, where we learn that indeed "The Russian Federation" (I didn't even know that was the name!?) is the largest country, not that much smaller than the former USSR.... with Canada coming second. "Well we both learned something" sez I... "I already knew that" sez the little grunt. Grrrrr.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 While stationed in the US, I was asked to give a talk about Canada and what it was like to be in the Canadian Air Force I was expected to show up in CF uniform and do a bit of “flag waving”. The class was a group of Grade 8s. I had a big map of Canada, which I put on an easel, and had about 40 Canada pins to hand out. The class was ready for me, I wrote my name on the black board and then started my little presentation with a question…I said, ”I am sure we all know that Russia is the largest country in the world. What do you think is the second largest country in the world ??? Silence – silence- silence – silence….finally a brave soul put up his hand and said . “Texas” “No”, I said, “ Texas is a state in your country, the United States of America, I want to know what COUNTRY is the second largest in the whole world……anyone know ?” Silence – silence- silence – silence the brave soul in the back raised his hand once more. “Yes?”,I said. “If it isn’t Texas then it is probably Arkansas”, he said. I gave up and pointed to the map, carried on and did not test their knowledge of world geography anymore. I guess I should have expected those type of answers from our little American cousins, after all, my son who was in Grade 3 at the time was sent home with a note that said… Please advise your son that he is not to “write” any more in school and that he should only be printing at this stage. We have not taught writing yet, however we will do so in the next semester. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AME Posted February 22, 2005 Share Posted February 22, 2005 From the CIA world fact book: Geography Canada Area: total: 9,984,670 sq km land: 9,093,507 sq km water: 891,163 sq km Area - comparative: somewhat larger than the US http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html Geography Russia Area: total: 17,075,200 sq km land: 16,995,800 sq km water: 79,400 sq km Area - comparative: approximately 1.8 times the size of the US http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/rs.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitch Cronin Posted February 22, 2005 Author Share Posted February 22, 2005 Alright already... so I'm the only guy on planet earth that didn't know that. I can live with that if I have to... I have no explanation other than when I grew up and went to geography classes, the USSR was the big guy... when Pink Floyd tore down the wall (that's how it happened isn't it? ), I thought the former USSR was broken up into little wee bits, and countries like Belarus and Slovania and Slovakia and the Czech Republic and a whole bunch of something-istans were made separate, ...along with Russia, which I somehow magined to be one heck of a lot smaller than the USSR had been. ...Ok... me face be red now... Yep... Homer and I... we'd be mates. Doh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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