Geopolitics is a concept and an analysis of the geographic influences on power relationships in international relations. It is the study of how factors like climate, topography, natural resources, and control over territory affect a state's foreign policy and strategic aims. The term was coined by the Swedish political scientist Rudolf Kjellén around the turn of the 20th century (specifically 1899 or 1900). It was developed to provide a framework for understanding the strategic importance of geography in a world of intense interstate competition.
The mechanism of classical geopolitics is explained through theories that link geographic control to global dominance. For instance, Halford Mackinder's Heartland Theory (1904) posited that control over the vast interior of Eurasia would lead to world power, while Alfred Thayer Mahan emphasized that control of sea routes and strategic choke points was decisive for national greatness. The inherent link to Conflicts stems from geopolitics being the struggle over hegemony in places and spaces, where linking national interest to external resources creates the potential for war.
The concept connects closely to the Realism school of thought in International Relations and the related concept of Geoeconomics. The term fell into disrepute after World War II due to its association with Nazi Germany's expansionism, but it was repopularized in the 1970s by figures like Henry Kissinger. While the core idea of geography's influence remains, the field has changed recently with the rise of Critical Geopolitics, which scrutinizes the political narratives surrounding geographical assumptions. Modern geopolitics has also expanded beyond traditional territorial conquest to include issues like technological supremacy, energy security, and climate change.