Iconic states and nations

[Jan van Leyden]

I'm leaving out BENELUX because -- just because. It's name sounds like a vacuum cleaner. . . .

Maybe because it's not one country but three?

 

[sabrinathecat]

I think most people think of NY and CA because that is where 99% of US movies are set (unless it's a western).

I need to travel more. Haven't been out of the country in 5 years, except when crossing over Canada to get to Alaska.

 

[delericho]

I think most people think of NY and CA because that is where 99% of US movies are set (unless it's a western).

Yep, this.

Also, in my case, Minesota, South Carolina, and Arkansas, because I've actually been there.

For the U.S. ENWorlders: What are the "iconic" nations of Europe...

Strangely, when I think of "Europe" I don't think of any one country. I have this image in my head of "Europe" independent of national boundaries or even cultures. Like you can go to France, or Italy, or Europe.

That's pretty much true of Europeans as well. Morrus has already noted that in the UK (and especially England), the tendency is to think of ourselves as a thing apart from Europe, but my experience in travelling on the continent is that an awful lot of people think of themselves as being French, or German, or Spanish, or... (or even Breton, Catalan, etc) first, and European a distant second. The EU, it seems, is mostly a project for our politicians and beaurocrats.

 

[Jan van Leyden]

That's pretty much true of Europeans as well. Morrus has already noted that in the UK (and especially England), the tendency is to think of ourselves as a thing apart from Europe, but my experience in travelling on the continent is that an awful lot of people think of themselves as being French, or German, or Spanish, or... (or even Breton, Catalan, etc) first, and European a distant second. The EU, it seems, is mostly a project for our politicians and beaurocrats.

Sad but true. Europe seems like brought together by circumstance, especially politicians rather fight than endorse it.

 

[Zombie_Babies]

So do we. Don't worry.

Yeah, I sort of figured. The reason I see it that way, after all, is in part because of the impression people from the UK have given me - and that's from TV and actual people. I suppose I've been convinced.

 

[Nellisir]

New Englander here, so when I think of Canada I think of Quebec...and then Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, PEI, and then...you've got some land out west too, right?

Europe I usually think Scandinavia to Spain, France to Hungary or so, but tend to forget about the Eastern Bloc countries. Cold War kid, ayup. UK gets tagged on retrospectively.

My wife grew up in Thailand and I've been a few time, so I think Southeast Asia plus China and Japan, but can't name all of them. Is Burma now Myanamar, and Laos is a different country? Plus Vietnam. Ah. I always forget Cambodia. And Bangladesh seems like a state of India, not a separate country.

India and Russia occupy the grey zones.

What throws me are the western Asian nations; all the 'stans. And Georgia (is always on my mind).

Africa. Um..Egypt, South Africa, and...Kenya. I have a friend who grew up in Kenya. The Kenyans didn't want her because she's Indian; her family hadn't lived in India in four generations; they've all found the US a much more accepting place to live.

South America - Brazil, Venezuela (my uncle Hector), Chile, Peru...Mexico is North America but also Latin America, which is South America plus Mexico, right?

Australia. That's Sidney and Perth and Tasmania and...New South Wales? Is that you guys, or is that New Zealand? Is there a New North Wales? Old South Wales? and then maybe a Queen Victoria Land or something, or is that Antarctica? And buckets of desert.