Myths of Geography

Not so long ago, dragons and monsters stalked our maps. Today, such maps might appear as fantastical fictional embellishments. But what if our world is shaped just as much by geographic myths as it once was? Paul Richardson challenges popular accounts of geographical determinism and shows how we perceive the world isn't how it really is - that the map is indeed not the territory. Eight punchy, authoritative chapters puncture long-held assumptions. 1. The Myth of the Continents and why they don't add up 2. The Myth of the Border and why walls like Trump's don't work. 3. The Myth of the Nation and fuzzy boundaries. 4. The Myth of Sovereignty and Taking Back Control 5. The Myth of Economic Growth and Why It's Not Worth Dying for 6. The Myth of Russia's inevitable expansionism 7. The Myth of China's New Silk Road 8. The Myth of a doomed Africa Surprising facts included in Myths of Geography -Bir Tawil in North Africa is the only inhabited territory in the world not claimed by any country -At Iceland's Thingvellir National Park you can swim between two continents: North America and Europe -Vladimir Putin was once ready to give up Russian territory in exchange for peace - The Ethiopian city of Gonder was known as the Camelot of Africa - until the British looted it in 1868 - In 2017, China set up the first direct freight train from Yiwu in eastern China, to Barking, east London Written with verve and full of quotable facts Myths of Geography is a book that will literally turn your world upside down.