Natural barrier

Mountains, swamps, deserts and ice fields are among the clearest examples of natural barriers.Water can protect island states like the Venetian Republic or Great Britain from dangerous neighbors, and simultaneously connect them to the wider world.Natural barriers have been important factors in human history, by obstructing migration and invasion.For example, Jared Diamond argues that West European nations have been the dominant powers of the last 500 years because Europe's many natural barriers divided it into competing nation-states and this competition forced the European nations to encourage innovation and avoid technological stagnation.Some examples of natural barriers are the: This article related to topography is a stub.
Satellite image of the Congo River. A large urban area is visible along its south bank, and a smaller one is visible along the north.
The Congo River serves as a natural barrier dividing the Republic of the Congo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo . The two nations' respective capital cities can be seen on either side of the river.
Congo RiverRepublic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoMountainsswampsdesertsice fieldsRiverstransport coastlinesVenetian RepublicGreat BritainmigrationinvasionJared Diamondnation-statesbiogeographyHimalayasGrand CanyonDead SeaMississippi RiverSierra MadreDiamond, Jaredtopography