The geography and natural resources of a state may have a significant influence on its foreign policy-making. Think about the geographical characteristics of Switzerland, a small country surrounded by mountains, and Russia, which is expansive and resource-rich. How might these characteristics affect the way these two countries interact with the rest of the world?
What will be an ideal response?
Some of the most important influences on a state's foreign policy behavior stem from
its location visàvis other states in the international system, and the geostrategic
advantages that this conveys. The presence of natural frontiers, for example, may
profoundly guide policy makers' choices. Consider the United States, which was
secure throughout most of its early history because vast oceans separated it from
potential threats in Europe and Asia. The advantage of having oceans as barriers to
foreign intervention, combined with the absence of militarily powerful neighbors,
permitted the United States to develop into an industrial giant and to safely practice an
isolationist foreign policy for more than 150 years. Consider also mountainous
Switzerland, whose easily defended topography has made neutrality a viable foreign
policy option.