Did you know that the land you stand on has shaped the society you’re living in? If this sounds a tad abstract, think of it this way: the geographic features and resources around you have strongly influenced your country’s economy, as well as how it has fared in the many wars that have been fought throughout history.

These blinks look at six of the most fascinating and influential geographies around the globe. More often than you may think, the decisions made by world leaders have a lot to do with the lay of the land. Sometimes, these leaders and the people they represent turn out to be prisoners of geography.

You’ll find out

•  about the one part of the world Vladimir Putin obsesses over the most;

•  why China refuses to let go of Tibet; and

•  why the African continent has struggled to capitalize on lucrative trade routes.