heartlands

Heartlands is a term used in geography and geopolitics to describe central inland regions, typically the interior of a continent. In classic geopolitics the focus is often on the interior of Eurasia, seen as a strategic pivot for global power. The idea treats control of the heartland as a route to dominance over the surrounding landmasses and, by extension, the world island of Eurasia and Africa.

The concept is most closely associated with Halford Mackinder, who articulated the Heartland idea in the early 20th century. In 1904 and 1905 he described a central Eurasian pivot area bounded by the Ural Mountains to the east, the Arctic to the north, and desert and steppe zones to the south and west. He argued that this vast interior, with its resources and possible rail links, could be used to project power across the world island, making sea powers vulnerable to a land-based hegemon. The surrounding maritime regions, or Rimland, were viewed as the key to countering such a power.

A related development in geopolitical thought came from Nicholas Spykman, who argued that power would be decided by control of the Rimland—the coastal belts encircling the Heartland—rather than by domination of the Heartland alone. This reframing emphasized alliances and naval power in shaping global influence.

Geographically, definitions of the Heartland vary, but it commonly includes central and southern portions of Eurasia, sometimes incorporating parts of Russia, Central Asia, Siberia, and the Caucasus. In contemporary usage, the term is often employed more as a historical or analytical concept than as a precise geographic boundary. Beyond geopolitics, “heartland” can also denote the core or central region of a country, company, or market.