It's not really fair to pick on the US as being "geographically ignorant". I suspect Canada would be about the same. The difference would be because in Canada we are "multi-cultural" and encouraged to hang onto the old country and know all about it. In the US, I think people are expected to jump into the old melting pot.
North America is a long way from Asia and Europe. To be honest, I only know what I know about the world because I was interested enough to learn. And I went to school back in the good old days when people got a real education, doncha know? Our "official" geography was mostly about our own area, then about Canada. And never a word about the local native people, not one word.
Things are better. I think and hope.
But we can't take ourselves on B77 and HoF as being "typical" because we're not. We're a cut above the ignorant masses, eh?