 |
| Geographical view of the Américas |
Geography
is the backdrop of human history. The position of a country on
a map is the first element that truely defines it, so much more than its
government is able to. Geographical distortions can be as revealing
of the long-range intentions of governments, for example, the melting of
the Arctic, allows a glimpse of the possible future shipping routes
between Asia and Europe and the geo-trade options that this could
bring about.
Demography
is destiny
The US is in the midst of a new
demographic, cultural and political moment. Interestingly the
extension of the US border southwards in the early 19th Century to incorporate newly won land from México into the US is now facing a seismic demographic change
in the 21st century -
in coming decades hispanos from the wider Américas will become more than a quarter of the US
electorate.
Hispanos currently
represent 17pc of the US population, and hispanic population growth
is set to turn the US into a country where fewer than half the
population will be non-Hispanic whites within 20 years. This shift will
create a new demographic reality in the US. This point was heavily
illustrated in the messages of Obama's recent presidential
inauguration speech. A Cuban-American
became the first hispano to recite the official inaugural poem. Rev
Luis León delivered an inaugural benediction with phrases spoken in
Spanish. And Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first hispanic on the
Supreme Court, administered the oath of office to Vice President Joe
Biden.
Geography and Economic Growth
The
notion that Mexico offers only cheap labour no longer rings true in the 21st Century. México
produces around 115,000 engineering students every year, almost three
times as many as the US on an annual basis. Hence machine specialists
are usually easier to find in Tijuana than in many big US cities. As
are, accountants experienced in production economics and other
highly skilled workers.
Today,
in the 21st century, Tijuana is becoming to San Diego what
Shenzhen is to Hong Kong. Travel between San Diego and Tijuana is
around 20 minutes, with no passport required. Although a passport is needed to
come back, but there are fast-track lanes for business people. Many
employees commute across the border each day, good doctors are
cheaper and easier to find in Tijuana, as are private schools. In
some ways, the border feels more like the borders between the members of the EU
than a divide between two countries.
And
it’s not just Tijuana. To the east, in Juárez, Dell computers are
built by Foxconn, the company that manufactures more than 40pc of the
world’s electronics (including Apple’s iPhone and iPad). To the
south, in Querétaro, a factory builds the transmissions that General
Motors installs in its Corvettes. The design of General Electric’s
GEnx turbine jet engine and the production of interior elements of
Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner also happen in México. In fact,
manufactured goods are the country’s chief export, with private
investment in this sector among the highest in the world.
Once
again geography is destiny too, the shorter and more nimble a
supply chain is, the better. Hence México is benefiting from its proximity to the US to feed the demand for just-in-time manufacturing.
And the demographics of producing the right mix of highly-skilled
workers have combined with it to create growth and prosperity in the 21st Century.
