Peter Zeihan

Peter Henry Zeihan (born January 18, 1973) is an American author whose books span geopolitics. He is the author of The Absent Superpower (2017), Disunited Nations (2020), and The End of the World Is Just the Beginning (2022).

Early life and education
Zeihan was born in 1973, and grew up as the adopted son of educators Jerald and Agnes Zeihan in Marshalltown, Iowa. He graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1992. In 1995, he obtained a BS in political science at Northeast Missouri State University and in 1997 a postgraduate diploma in Asian studies at the University of Otago.

Career
According to Zeihan, he was discouraged by his experiences during his work at the American embassy in Australia and at Susan Eisenhower's think tank, the Center for Political and Strategic Studies. In 2000, he began working as an analyst for Austin-based geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor. Zeihan spent 12 years at Stratfor, eventually rising to vice-president.

While still at Stratfor, Zeihan coauthored his first book, A Crucible of Nations, with Lauren Goodrich in 2011. He left Stratfor in 2012, founding a consulting firm Zeihan on Geopolitics that same year. His client list reportedly grew to include energy companies, financial institutions, business associations, agricultural interests, universities, and other government organizations.

In 2014 he released Accidental Superpower. The book was reviewed by The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Kirkus Reviews. The book focused on topographical and geographical landmarks (rivers, oceans, mountains, etc.) as distinct advantages in a state's ability to dominate other countries economically, industrially, and militarily. With the use of maps, Zeihan pointed out that navigable rivers, or access to the oceans, along with a reliable road or rail network make a critical difference. Accidental Superpower also used demographic calculations of national populations to forecast how different countries will maintain an edge in the geopolitical future. He subsequently published three more books The Absent Superpower (2017), Disunited Nations (2020), and The End of the World Is Just the Beginning (2022).

Accolades and honors
Writing for The Independent Review, Robert Gmeiner of Methodist University praised Peter's The End of the World Is Just the Beginning saying "Realism and competence are hallmarks of Zeihan’s book."