geopolitics

Geopolitics is the study of how geographic factors influence international politics, power relationships, and national strategies. It examines how location, resources, borders, climate, population, and connectivity shape the interests and actions of states and other actors in the global system.

Historical roots of geopolitics lie in 19th- and 20th-century thought, with early theories stressing the strategic importance of control over land and sea routes. Notable approaches include the Heartland theory, which emphasized central Eurasia as a power base, and the Rimland theory, which highlighted coastal zones as crucial for global influence. Modern geopolitics broadens this scope to include geoeconomics, technology, and transnational actors, recognizing that power is exercised through a mix of military, economic, diplomatic, and informational tools.

Core concepts include the significance of geography in shaping strategic objectives, the importance of chokepoints and sea lines of communication, resource endowments, and energy security. Analysts study how geography interacts with institutions, capabilities, and alliances to produce competitive dynamics, such as great-power competition, regional blocs, and influence campaigns. Methods range from cartographic analysis and spatial modeling to scenario planning and forecasting.

Contemporary geopolitics address topics such as global supply chains, resource competition, maritime security, cyberspace and space domains, climate change, and the geopolitics of technology. Critics argue that overemphasis on geography can neglect political agency, institutions, culture, and randomness of events. Nonetheless, geopolitics remains a framework for understanding how physical and human geography shape political choices and international outcomes.