The New Geography

Globalization has not killed geography — it has created a new version. The factors that matter have shifted:

• Internet cables — most international data crosses on undersea cables, not satellites
• Shipping chokepoints — the Suez Canal, Panama Canal, and Strait of Malacca still control trade
• Critical minerals — whoever controls lithium, cobalt, and rare earths controls the tech supply chain

Geography now works through supply chains and data cables rather than rivers and mountain passes, but its hold on power is as strong as ever.