James H’s Reviews > Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need to Know About Global Politics > Status Update

Geography has always been a prison of sorts - one that defines what a nation is or am be, and one from which our world leaders have often struggled to break free.

$1 billion and 10 years to build an ice breaker.

The BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Counties considered to be on the rise economically and politically.

US had no real strategy to split Korea at the end of WWII. Split on 38th parallel as it was roughly half. US was more concerned with Japan.

US re-established relations with Cuba in 2015.

Countries in Africa drawn by Europeans relative to army locations, distances covered by explorers and terrain. Some consideration to formed groups and who relates to who.

UK’s island nation and good land made it able to develop away from changing borders and invasions.

This meant it’s leaders didn’t need to be as physical or war like and could focus on economic development and democratisation.

France and Germany natural competitors.

Germany not a threat until unification in 1805.

Both Germany and France feared each other. Then when the triple entente was formed Germany feared all three.

If China did not control Tibet, it would always be possible that India might attempt to do so. This would give India the commanding heights of the Tibetan plateau and a NSW from which to push into the Chinese heartland, as well as control of the Tibetan sources of three of China’s great rivers, the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong.

This is why Tibet is known as, ‘China’s water tower.’

Moldova - plain with ease of access to Russia. Flat corridor into Russian from the Black Sea.