Whenever something comes up in the national security arena, as you are waiting for more information to come in, there are worse things you can do as you wait than to take what you know and head over to the nearest map of the area.
Globes are best, but maps are a good backup. Maps can be problematic, as you warp geographical scale and distance when you take a 3D object and convert it to 2D – but as long as you know and appreciate that, no big deal.
Topographic maps and charts are just as important (especially in ASW where many decision makers have no idea the difference between the Pacific Basin and the Baltic Sea), as are some of the 3D modeling available in today’s technology options. All help our upper-Paleolithic brains better contemplate an environment otherwise unknown to us, or underappreciated.
When in times of calm you are contemplating future challenges, again, maps help. Right after that is information and the data you need that comes from it. Nations and people come into conflict for a variety of reasons, but most all can be boiled down to a need to eat, feel secure, and have power over potential rivals. All three are tied into economics and the global trade that underpins it all.
If a nation or block of nations hold a certain level of economic power, and they are in opposition to other nations or groups of nations – it would be helpful to see their relative economic power. A shortcut to measure that is GDP.
For you consideration, and a recommended benchmark for future use, I offer to you via VisualCapitalist a map of the world’s economies based on Purchasing Power Parity GDP (the source also provided Nominal GDP, results are similar).
Consider this economic geography.
Breaking down global GDP distribution into cartograms highlights some interesting anomalies worth considering:
1. North America, Europe, and East Asia, with a combined GDP of nearly $75 trillion, make up 80% of the world’s GDP in nominal terms.
2. The U.S. State of California accounts for 3.7% of the world’s GDP by itself, which ranks higher than the United Kingdom’s total contribution of 3.3%.
3. Canada as a country accounts for 2% of the world’s GDP, which is comparable to the GDP contribution of the Greater Tokyo Area at 2.2%.
4. With a GDP of $3 trillion, India’s contribution overshadows the GDP of the whole African continent ($2.6 trillion).
5. This visualization highlights the economic might of cities better than a conventional map. One standout example of this is in Ontario, Canada. The Greater Toronto Area completely eclipses the economy of the rest of the province.
If you are looking at global competition where part of that competition is which nations or blocks of nations have the most economic influence and strength to transfer that into military power if so desired, this understanding should be part of your mix. It you are a targeteer – national or transnational – and looking for the most optimal economic impact for a finite number of weapons … there is even more to ponder.
h/t Scott Shipman.
