Introduction: In the 21 st century, the presence of drones, planes, satellites and long-range missiles seems to have ‘shortened’ if not downright eliminated distance as a geopolitical hurdle. Couple this with the introduction of cyberwarfare as a new dimension of modern conflict, and it may be tempting to believe that geography is no longer relevant in modern international affairs. That is not the case. Today’s global economy, while vast and interconnected, depends upon a nu