People in Canada also lack some minimum knowledge like some Americans? At least the Americans have progressed a bit lately. Look, the Aussies are also like the Americans and sometimes even worse. But I talked to some New Zealanders, and at least they try to get some info about the world. Maybe not exact, but there is a will. A taste of knowledge.
Really, not sure all the Western Europeans are like us, but at least in Central and Eastern Europe we have good knowledges about geography.
Minus the Brits, what"s wrong with the former British Empire? Really? For me knowing minimum geography and history, and not only, is like writing. I have learned English very late, after somesuperficial Russian and French, and I wasn"t good at school because I had other occupations then (sport). By the way, the English have the poorest minimum knowledges in whole Europe. Not wanting to bother somebody, because the English elites are great and I love their present democracy. But in Central-Eastern Europe, between many illiterates in the East, even middle and 3rd classes are better documented. But if you don"t learn in school, all of your life will be late to do it.
You simply have to know geography if you travel. History less, but also a bit about history. Not to think in the Philippines ruled the German Empire. Not a fan of the imperialism though.
Just saying, these days you even learn about Thailand and Vietnam, and Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, not just that you also know Latin America. It"s Europe and North America, same race of white people at 1st.