This book was a great read especially as it carefully highlighted the politics behind the geography of each region including Russia, Middle East, Far East, North and South America. If you didn’t pay much attention in Geography at school, this book will make the topic more palatable.
It’s an essential read if you want to understand why countries are behaving the way they have, are today and will tomorrow. We get to understand from the author, that for many countries, their choices are constrained by seas, land, mountain and concrete. It’s natural to feel fearful of being invaded by others, especially countries with flat land boundaries. For example, you get to understand why Russia annexed Crimea, especially if it wants to be a superpower. In order to do so, it needs a navy, which need the seas. Most of its Russian ports are frozen for up to six months, which makes it difficult, but the Sea around Crimea are warm waters.....
The book has depth and richness in each chapters and you start piecing the jigsaw together. The chapter on the Middle East and Far East were most intriguing.
It’s an essential read if you want to understand why countries are behaving the way they have, are today and will tomorrow. We get to understand from the author, that for many countries, their choices are constrained by seas, land, mountain and concrete. It’s natural to feel fearful of being invaded by others, especially countries with flat land boundaries. For example, you get to understand why Russia annexed Crimea, especially if it wants to be a superpower. In order to do so, it needs a navy, which need the seas. Most of its Russian ports are frozen for up to six months, which makes it difficult, but the Sea around Crimea are warm waters.....
The book has depth and richness in each chapters and you start piecing the jigsaw together. The chapter on the Middle East and Far East were most intriguing.