Geopolitics
/ˌdʒiː.oʊ.pəˈlɪt.ɪks/noun
The study of how geography influences politics and international power.
Did you know?Geopolitics is a modern coinage, but it taps ancient roots: Greek geō- (“earth”) and politikos (“of citizens/state”), so the word itself frames power as something shaped by the planet beneath your feet.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
gē
“earth, land”
Ancient Greek
Greek
politikós
“of citizens, civic, political”
19th Century
Latinized European scholarly coinage
geopolitik
“a theory linking state power to geography”
Early 20th Century
English
geopolitics
“the study of geography’s influence on political power”
Modern English
English
geopolitics
“the analysis of how geography shapes international relations”