When it comes to global superpowers, one country that usually comes to mind is the United States.
However, in recent years, there has been a prevailing viewpoint that attributes the rapid growth and development of the United States primarily to its possession of geographically advantageous territory.
This land is often described as isolated from the Afro-Eurasian landmass, experiencing periods of independent development, abundant plains with few mountains, low infrastructure difficulty, and being situated in a temperate climate with abundant exploitable land, among other factors.
However, the reality may not be as straightforward as imagined.
The United States indeed enjoys a unique geographical environment.
It is often summarized as "abundant land, no strong neighbors, and two oceans for protection," making it a desirable location.
Compared to other countries, the United States can be considered relatively "young."
Since its independence, it has only been 248 years.
From initially having a population of less than 3 million and an area of only 890,000 square kilometers, it has developed into a superpower with a territory exceeding 9.37 million square kilometers, a population of over 300 million, and a GDP of $16 trillion, showcasing remarkable development speed.
Many attribute the United States' rapid development largely to its favorable geographical environment.
Even in 2013, the 90-year-old former President of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, stated in an interview, "The reason the United States has been able to maintain prosperity for so long is, for some geopolitical sense, a kind of luck."
The United States is one of the few countries described as having "vast territory," occupying a quarter of Europe's land area, ranking among the top four.
The North American continent's land, especially in the central and southern regions, is fertile, with arable land accounting for up to 90%, and only a small portion, about 10%, being wasteland.
Half of the U.S. territory consists of the Great Plains, not only a primary area for agricultural development but also one of the wealthiest agricultural regions globally.
Its forest area reaches 749 million acres, covering one-third of the country's area.
The United States boasts the world's largest rivers and tributaries, nourishing agricultural lands, with five major lakes collectively containing half of the world's freshwater, ensuring abundant water resources.
In addition to vast arable land and forest resources, the United States also possesses abundant mineral resources.
Local officials even claim that no other country has as rich reserves of metal ores and mineral fuels as they do.
With inexhaustible resources, vast coal and iron reserves, and abundant waterways for transportation, the country has everything it needs.
It can be said that the United States possesses unique industrial and agricultural resources globally. For example, compared to Russia, despite its much larger land area, most of its territory lies in the cold zone, with only a small part in the subtropical region.
The United States has two major oceans, abundant marine resources, and has maintained a leading position in ocean exploration, underwater communication, deep-sea mineral exploration, and other fields since the 21st century.
Its weaker neighbors, Canada to the north and Mexico to the south, have contributed to the United States not suffering significant losses in both World Wars but instead accumulating vast wealth through warfare.
Since the War of Independence, the United States has never been invaded by a foreign power, providing excellent opportunities for its development and growth.
It is these favorable natural conditions that have attracted outstanding talents from around the world to flock to the United States, making it the preferred destination for immigrants.
According to statistics, 40% of the world's technology immigrants choose the United States, providing favorable conditions for them to acquire more high-end talent and promote technological development.
There is no denying that the advantages brought by geographical environment are indeed significant.
Leveraging these geographical advantages, the United States' agriculture, industry, and technology have rapidly expanded.
However, the growth of the United States is not solely reliant on its geographical environment; there are many other factors.
For example, while other countries were embroiled in major wars, the United States seized the opportunity to develop and accumulate vast wealth.
Wars have plunged many countries into poverty, even setting them back decades or even centuries, but the United States remained unaffected.
With a solid economic foundation, the United States seized development opportunities, beginning technological development while other countries were still struggling in wars and nation-building, quickly taking the lead with advanced production equipment and scientific technology.
Despite having only a 200-year history, the United States has spread its cultural concepts globally, among which optimism and confidence are notable.
Part of this is due to their fervent religious beliefs, which are related to the nation's religious culture.
In the 1920s, the United States experienced the Great Depression, but they always maintained confidence and hope.
At the same time, they pursued "freedom," which is also part of the reason for their optimism and confidence.
Therefore, American optimism and confidence are closely related to their cultural and religious beliefs.
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