Chokepoint Diplomacy: How Small Territories Accumulate Outsized Geopolitical Leverage

From the Strait of Hormuz to the Bosphorus, a handful of narrow passages exert disproportionate influence over the global economy and military strategy. This briefing examines how states and non-state actors exploit geographic bottlenecks to extract diplomatic concessions far beyond their size. We explore historical precedents, current flashpoints, and the strategic calculus behind chokepoint control.