Would Geography be a special interest with Aspergers?

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I suck at flags LOL

I was known as a "geographical whiz" when I was in elementary school.

I caught the "bug" when my dad gave me a globe, and pointed out some countries to me. In his own way, he was trying to "get through" to me. I wasn't an easy person to get to know.

I'm a little behind the times/rusty in my capitals. But if I study for a few days, I'd get excellent at them again!

This is absolutely one of my biggest special interests. As I live in the northwest, the results are a lot different than those in Europe or even other parts of the U.S., but I know practically every state highway in WA. I also know all the capitals, most major cities and a boatload of small towns in our country, as well as Canada and Mexico. I know most of the freeways and where they run through. Almost every road in my city is in my ever-growing mental database. This helps greatly with directions.
I know practically every country including most island countries. When I talk to people (or students) who lived in other parts of the country, they are impressed that I know so much about where they live. For example, there's a student I know who lived in three different, remote Alaska Bush towns. He was really surprised when I knew whereabouts in Alaska they were. Most people here know that Alaska's capital is Juneau, and might know where Anchorage is (if you're lucky) - but never where the small villages are.

Then there's Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and a little further away, Equatorial Guinea. I'm not sure what all three have to do with each other, but it sure is interesting. Senegal is the biggest country in that region, the capital Dakar has over a million people living there.

I like geography and maps since childhood.
I suppose that interest in geography and maps can be relatively common among people with ASD.

Plain Guinea used to be under the French, and uses the West CFA Franc.

Guinea-Bissau used to be under the Portuguese--and uses their own currency.

Equatorial Guinea used to be under the Spanish (and other colonial entities--and uses the Central CFA Franc. It's both on an island and in the mainland (Rio Muni).

That special interest started for me when I was 10 and it's still with me today.

I knew all the world capitals when I was in Standard 5 (Grade VII?) and I had a world globe which I spent many happy hours reading. I have had to update my knowledge now with all the new countries, especially in the Balkans/Eastern Europe as well as the former Soviet countries in Asia, as well as the capitals. African capitals have also changed quite a lot. So I can't say I can name all the countries or capitals but from time to time I test myself on the Sporcle quiz website.

I learned all the capitals and flags by using Sporcle. I'm currently working on memorizing the largest non-capital city of every country, which Sporcle also has a quiz for.

Yes to an interest in geography and anthropology.

It definitely is with me. I can always remember being interested in some part of the world or other. I was always interested in Greek history and literature from the time I was in seventh grade. A special interest in Japan began around the same time. In high school, I became interested in Spain because I learned Spanish quickly, pulling straight A's, despite knowing very little Spanish, except how to count to ten, when I started.

In college, I had a curious interest in Ukraine and now, it's Russia and Uzbekistan. My interest in Denis Istomin led to read about Russia, Uzbekistan, Orenburg, Moscow and Tashkent. My interest in Spain reignited when I started supporting Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer. I have at least one favorite tennis player from all of the countries I have ever studied, except for Greece. My favorite player of Greek ancestry is an American, Pete Sampras.

I too have a fascination with maps n countries less now than when I was younger. My passion still is train travel though.

My mom placed great importance on knowing geography. I took to it immediately, because I was already fascinated with different countries and cultures. I study about unusual places. Usually, there is a connection between these places and a person who sparks my interest. I have read a lot about Orenburg, Russia because Denis Istomin was born there and about Tashkent, Uzbekistan because that was his long-term residence. If I told most people this, they would say, "Uzbekistan? I don't know where that is! Why would you be interested in a place like that?" I probably wouldn't have believed I could ever be interested in Uzbekistan before I heard of Denis Istomin.