I recently finished reading "A Bend in the River" by V.S. Naipaul in which he describes the importance of the river in the function of society. Rivers and bodies of water such as the Euphrates, the Nile and the Mississippi have been considered the geographic highways that have contributed the formation of great empires. Kaplan's geographic argument and the contribution of mountains to failed states has merit in the Balkans and the Andes as well.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Actually, It's Mountains - By Robert D. Kaplan | Foreign Policy
Actually, It's Mountains - By Robert D. Kaplan | Foreign Policy,
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This concept of geographical strategic importance in the world of states is especially relevant as I begin researching the issue of national control/allocation of drinkable water as a natural resource. A recent article in the economist pointed to the fact that, "just nine countries account for 60% of all available fresh supplies—and among them only Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Congo, Indonesia and Russia have an abundance. America is relatively well off, but China and India, with over a third of the world’s population between them, have less than 10% of its water." The presence of underground aquifers like the massive ones located under the U.S. and Brazil/Columbia mean that these nations will be far less pressed to acquire water in the coming decades as states like India, where 90% of available ground water is used for agriculture (compared to only 41% in the U.S.) and daily public consumption is limited to short, daily periods of water service.
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