Never bet against the US: Ppl think its biggest strength is its...
Tomas Pueyo@tomaspueyo
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Sep 09, 2025
~3 min read
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Never bet against the US:
Ppl think its biggest strength is its institutions, the dollar, entrepreneurship... But one of its biggest assets is its geography 🧵
Ppl think its biggest strength is its institutions, the dollar, entrepreneurship... But one of its biggest assets is its geography 🧵
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1. Size
The US is the 4th largest country. It spans an entire continent, reaches two oceans, and is big enough to be a geographic heavyweight in the world
The US is the 4th largest country. It spans an entire continent, reaches two oceans, and is big enough to be a geographic heavyweight in the world
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2. The Mississippi Basin
It's the 4th largest drainage basin in the world and occupies 40% of the contiguous 48 US states, touching 32 of the US’s 50 states. 11 US states directly take their name from it.
It's the 4th largest drainage basin in the world and occupies 40% of the contiguous 48 US states, touching 32 of the US’s 50 states. 11 US states directly take their name from it.
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This is caused by the funnel effect of its 2 big mountain systems: The Sierra Nevada / Rockies to the West, and the Appalachians to the East
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3. Farmland
The water flows from these mountains calmly, because the entire region is extremely flat
Many calm rivers on flatland➡️the Mississippi Basin the world's largest contiguous piece of farmland.
➡️The US is the 3rd food producer and 1st exporter worldwide
The water flows from these mountains calmly, because the entire region is extremely flat
Many calm rivers on flatland➡️the Mississippi Basin the world's largest contiguous piece of farmland.
➡️The US is the 3rd food producer and 1st exporter worldwide
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4. Mississippi Trade
Many huge rivers on flatland➡️the US has more navigable internal waterways than the rest of the world combined!
This is extremely useful because moving goods over water is 10-30x cheaper than overland
Many huge rivers on flatland➡️the US has more navigable internal waterways than the rest of the world combined!
This is extremely useful because moving goods over water is 10-30x cheaper than overland
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5. Political Integration
The Mississippi Basin is highly connected, trades more, exchanges more culture, and unites more politically
Compare with East Coast river basins: Rivers flow parallel to each other➡️13 original colonies
It's not a coincidence they fought a civil war:
The Mississippi Basin is highly connected, trades more, exchanges more culture, and unites more politically
Compare with East Coast river basins: Rivers flow parallel to each other➡️13 original colonies
It's not a coincidence they fought a civil war:
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6. Great Lakes
The US has another amazing, navigable system, the Great Lakes
They reach the ocean through the amazing St Lawrence River, all infrastructure financed by Canada!
Luckily, Great Lakes & Mississippi Basin are connected via Chicago!
The US has another amazing, navigable system, the Great Lakes
They reach the ocean through the amazing St Lawrence River, all infrastructure financed by Canada!
Luckily, Great Lakes & Mississippi Basin are connected via Chicago!
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7. Intracoastal Highways
Ships can travel Boston➡️Mexico barely touching open seas, instead protected by chains of islands that cover nearly all of the US’ Atlantic coast.
Mississippi+intracoastal waterways➡️more internal navigable waterways than the rest of the world combined!
Ships can travel Boston➡️Mexico barely touching open seas, instead protected by chains of islands that cover nearly all of the US’ Atlantic coast.
Mississippi+intracoastal waterways➡️more internal navigable waterways than the rest of the world combined!
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8. Natural Coastal Ports
Rivers + rugged coast+ big tides➡️Some of the best natural ports in the world, protected from sea storms in their estuaries
Rivers + rugged coast+ big tides➡️Some of the best natural ports in the world, protected from sea storms in their estuaries
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9. Energy
The US is the 1st producer of both oil & gas!
This is thanks to its amazing reserves, product of an inland sea in the Mississippi Region millions of years ago!
The US is the 1st producer of both oil & gas!
This is thanks to its amazing reserves, product of an inland sea in the Mississippi Region millions of years ago!
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All of this is extremely well defended by:
10. Ocean Barriers
The two largest oceans in the world are on each of the US's coasts, protecting it from hostile neighbors
10. Ocean Barriers
The two largest oceans in the world are on each of the US's coasts, protecting it from hostile neighbors
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11. If that were not enough, mountain ranges add further defense. It's impossible to invade the US, but even if an invasion was possible, it would be stopped at te mountains
This would have been impossible:
This would have been impossible:
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12. Ice Barrier
Canada is too cold to host a big population. This connects all of Canada's population centers to the US more than each other, making it impossible for Canada to be a US enemy
Canada is too cold to host a big population. This connects all of Canada's population centers to the US more than each other, making it impossible for Canada to be a US enemy
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13. Desert Mountain Barrier
Mexico is more threatening: Bigger population, close to the Mississippi Basin
But the border is much narrower than with Canada, it's desertic, mountainous, and Mexico is much more exposed to the US than vice-versa
The US co-opted Texas for that reason
Mexico is more threatening: Bigger population, close to the Mississippi Basin
But the border is much narrower than with Canada, it's desertic, mountainous, and Mexico is much more exposed to the US than vice-versa
The US co-opted Texas for that reason
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14. Global Buffers
The US has contained all alternative superpowers:
• Monroe Doctrine➡️No enemies in America
• Co-opted Europe in WW2
• Buffer vs Russia: Europe + Alaska
• Buffer against China: 🇯🇵🇰🇷🇵🇭🇦🇺🇳🇿🇹🇼
The US has contained all alternative superpowers:
• Monroe Doctrine➡️No enemies in America
• Co-opted Europe in WW2
• Buffer vs Russia: Europe + Alaska
• Buffer against China: 🇯🇵🇰🇷🇵🇭🇦🇺🇳🇿🇹🇼
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China might rise as a superpower, and the US might shoot itself in the foot with many policies, but it's hard to undermine the US's best geography in the world.
I would personally never bet against the US.
unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-ag…
I would personally never bet against the US.
unchartedterritories.tomaspueyo.com/p/never-bet-ag…
