Since the beginning of the twentieth century, the “Heartland Theory,” formulated by the British geographer Halford Mackinder, has constituted one of the most important intellectual foundations in geopolitics. Mackinder believed that controlling the heartland of Eurasia, extending across Central Asia and Eastern Europe, meant possessing the ability to control the “World Island,” and thus dominate the entire world. He famously summarized his theory by saying: “Whoever controls Eastern Europe controls the heartland; whoever controls the heartland controls the World Island; and whoever controls the World Island controls the world.”

 

However, the major geopolitical shifts after the Cold War prompted many thinkers to reconsider Halford Mackinder’s “Heartland Theory.” With the increasing importance of energy, maritime routes, and international trade, Central Asia is no longer the sole center of global gravity; rather, the Middle East has emerged as the new geopolitical heartland of the world. Thinkers such as Nicholas Spykman, Alfred Mahan, Zbigniew Brzezinski, Samuel Huntington, Robert Kaplan, and Henry Kissinger have contributed to shifting the focus from "land power" to the concepts of energy, maritime affairs, the global economy, and strategic alliances.

 

In this context, the author of this article presents his geopolitical vision that "the Middle East is the heart of the world, and whoever controls it controls the world," based on the fact that the region controls oil reserves, strategic maritime routes, and the arteries of global trade and energy, thus granting it the ability to influence the security and economies of major powers.

 

The Middle East today is not merely a region of conflicts or political crises; it has become a vital center through which major powers control global energy security, international supply chains, and strategic maritime routes. Therefore, it can be argued that whoever controls the Middle East possesses the ability to influence the global economy and even, if necessary, cripple the economies of major powers.

 

The importance of the Middle East lies primarily in its possession of the largest share of the world's oil and gas reserves. The Gulf Arab states alone possess enormous reserves, making them a cornerstone of stability in international energy markets. With the global economy still reliant on oil and gas, despite the shift towards renewable energy, the region remains a vital and indispensable hub.

 

The importance of the Middle East extends beyond its natural resources to its unique geographical location connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa. The region encompasses some of the world's most vital maritime chokepoints, such as the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and the Suez Canal. These waterways are the arteries of global trade and international energy. Any disruption to these passages could lead to a dramatic surge in oil prices, disrupt supply chains, and destabilize the entire global economy.

 

This reality has become strikingly apparent during the recurring wars and crises in the Arabian Gulf and the tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, where even the mere threat of its closure triggers anxiety in global markets and major industrialized nations. This demonstrates that control over the Middle East is no longer merely a regional issue, but has become a matter directly linked to global economic security.

 

Contrary to Mackinder’s vision, which focused on “land power” in the heart of Eurasia, power in the modern era is linked to a combination of maritime, economic, and technological factors. The contemporary world is based on trade flows, energy, and communications, not just on land-based military control. The Middle East, therefore, represents the convergence of all these factors, sometimes giving it an importance that surpasses that of the traditional “heartland.”

 

The escalating international competition in the region reflects this new geopolitical reality. The United States continues to view the Middle East as vital to its strategic interests, while China seeks to expand its economic influence through the Belt and Road Initiative, significant portions of which traverse the region. Russia, for its part, sees the region as a crucial arena for restoring its international presence and bolstering its geopolitical influence.

 

 

Furthermore, recent global shifts, including the war in Ukraine, tensions in the South China Sea, and energy-related crises, have demonstrated that the world has become more sensitive to any instability in the Middle East. Rising oil prices or disruptions to trade routes in the region directly impact European, Asian, and American economies.

 

However, considering the Middle East the “heart of the new world” does not negate Mackinder’s theory entirely, but rather represents a natural evolution of it in line with the realities of the 21st century. While Mackinder focused on land-based geography, modern geopolitics is based on the concept of “strategic nodes” that combine resources, energy, maritime routes, and economic influence.

 

In this context, international conflict is no longer solely about territorial occupation, but also about ensuring energy security, securing trade routes, controlling ports and maritime passages, and managing regional alliances. This is what makes the Middle East the epicenter of major international interactions in the modern era.

 

It can be argued that the Middle East has indeed become the heart of the new world, not only because of its geographical location or natural resources, but also because it possesses the capacity to directly influence the stability of the international system. Any state or power that can establish lasting influence in this region will be able to impact the global economy, the international balance of power, and the future of global security. Hence, contemporary geopolitics is no longer read only through the “heart of Eurasia” as Mackinder envisioned, but through the Middle East as the center of energy, strategic corridors and power struggles in the twenty-first century.

 

 

Hasan Al-Dajah — Professor of strategic studies at Al-Hussein Bin Talal University