The Rimland's Strategic Value in Contemporary Maritime Trade and Naval Power Competition

Abstract In his Rimland Theory developed during the middle of the twentieth century, Nicholas Spykman argued that the coastal rim surrounding the vast landmass of Eurasia (the Rimland) is of more significant geopolitical importance than the core or heartland of this massive continent for achieving worldwide dominance. Therefore, it is not merely a question of controlling the geographic center of the world, but rather of securing key straits through which global maritime trade passes to gain an advantage in terms of economic and military power. In order to evaluate the long term implications of Spykman's theories today in light of rapidly increasing competition for maritime supremacy and the increasingly globalized nature of international trade; this study reviews several contemporary examples of Rimland dynamics at work including the South China Sea, the Indian Ocean's "choke points" and trade lanes, the development of alliances and security agreements including QUAD and AUKUS as a result of these dynamics, and the impact on them of emerging technologies, climate change and other factors. The study concludes that Spykman's Rimland Theory has continued to be relevant in shaping the contemporary multipolar geopolitical landscape and that it will remain so in the future because of its focus on the relationship between a country's naval power capabilities and its economic interdependencies with other countries. Additionally, Spykman's Theory provides a useful model for identifying the sources of hybrid maritime threats.