The study of geopolitics across the world and across time is a complex task. Numerous factors influence the causal chain of events that determine the course of a state's history. Geography in its broadest sense limits a state's ability to become a superpower, but it also allows some states to prosper with relative ease compared to less developed countries. Location, terrain, technology, and demographics work together to influence the power of particular states, and it is through the effective use of these elements that states attempt to increase or maintain their power. The fundamental goal of states is to seek relative power over other states and regions, and states will act in ways they believe will maintain or increase their power. However, while states may sometimes act irrationally or in ways contrary to their own self-interest, ultimately what is fundamental to a state's actions is the belief that their actions will maintain or increase the state's power. It is critical to understand the proper application and function of physical geography and its influence on a state's power potential. The location of the Geopolitically Utopian State (GUS) is approximately 1200 miles north-northwest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is approximately 1,700 miles from the eastern end to the western end of the GUS, and approximately 1,200 miles from the southern tip to the northern tip. A large mountain range runs along much of the GUS's southern border with the Pacific Ocean, but as the continent heads north the mountains retreat into mostly flat areas with occasional patches of hills and streams with a variety of geological formations. The terrain and location of the GUS is important for a… medium of paper… The GUS can trade quickly both with low-cost labor states such as China and Vietnam, while also trading with states that produce high-end consumer goods as high as the United States and Japan. Through efficient commercial transportation domestically and internationally, the GUS can maintain its economic power. Personal transportation between major metropolitan areas is accomplished through a combination of rail systems and national highway systems. Thanks to the efficient ability of people to move from one country to another, there are no largely unproductive regions of the country. Modern transportation infrastructure creates efficient and rapid transportation, allowing for increased economic power, but also allows for increased military power within the state. If attacked, the government can move troops and equipment overland quickly and efficiently and counter naval threats.