This paper discusses how fourth- and eighth-grade students in rural Arkansas perceive other countries. Students in fourth grade (N=153) chose among 22 terms to describe Canada, China, Egypt, England, France, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, and the United States. Eighth graders (N=90) were asked to describe separately a set of nations and their people. They were asked about the same countries as the fourth graders except that Canada was omitted and East Germany and India were added to the list. Fourth graders knew more about the United States than about the other countries. Canada was the foreign country they knew the most about and the only one characterized as "like us." The only nation characterized as "warlike" and "unfriendly" was Russia. Eighth graders showed stronger opinions about some countries than did fourth graders, but like them, knew most about the United States. The foreign countries they knew the most about were England, France, and Russia; little was known about Egypt, Israel, East Germany, and Mexico. Concepts associated with geography and economics were discussed more accurately than ones associated with history and political science. (IS)