Eurasian Transport Integration Beyond Energy: Geoeconomic Transformation and Geostrategic Response

Abstract

The shift in Eurasian trade flows and the re-emergence of both intra-Rimland and Heartland–Rimland trade interconnections follow a major change in the geography of the Eurasian political economy. This shift was stimulated by widespread, strong economic growth across the entire Eurasian continent until 2008 and by more “normal” growth rates in the years following the crisis. Since the early 2000s, Eurasian economic growth has been on average more rapid than world growth, and growth in Europe and in the US.