Mackinder, Halford

Halford Mackinder was a British geographer and political theorist best known for his "Heartland Theory." He proposed that control of Eurasia's central region—the "Heartland"—was key to global dominance, as its vast resources and strategic position could influence the world. Mackinder believed that a power that controlled this area could potentially dominate the entire "World Island" (Eurasia and Africa). His ideas influenced geopolitical strategy during the 20th century, emphasizing the importance of land-based power and strategic geography in international relations.