Miss Teen USA contestant Lauren Caitlin Upton finally explains her incoherent response to a pageant question about geographic illiteracy.

“Personally, my friends and I, we know exactly where the United States is on our map,” Upton said. “We don’t know anyone else who doesn’t, and if the statistics are correct, I believe there should be more emphasis on geography and our education, so people will learn to read maps better.”

And on that point, Smith, author of the children’s social-science book, If the World Were a Village, and Webmaster of Mapping.com, likely wouldn’t disagree.

When asked if the Upton incident might spur interest in geography, Smith said, “It would be lovely if it did.”

I’m impressed the girl knows where the United States is on a map. It’s that brown thing in the middle of that blue stuff, right?

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