Ok is this just Canada?

Ok so I live in Canada, I have always loved geography and learning countries, cities, cultures, etc. So I am relatively knowledgeable about different countries. Just the other day in class (grade 12) I overheard people arguing about what the capital of our country was, somebody said Toronto, the other said Fredericton (live in N.B.). this is not an isolated incident either, for too many years (at least 8) have I sat in social studies class where the teacher spends a month teaching students what our TEN provinces and THREE territories are just for them to not remember. Is this only a Canadian thing? Somebody please tell me, cause I'm friends with a couple exchange students and they all are pretty knowledgeable about geography.