East-West to North-South: The Rise of New Transport Hub and the Caspian Basin

Öz

The Caspian Basin has emerged as an important international logistics hub amid recent changes in trade and transportation dynamics. This article underlines the strategic importance of major transport corridors and evaluates the Caspian Basin’s growing logistical potential by analyzing key infrastructure projects along the East–West and North–South axes in Eurasia. This study argues that, although traditionally viewed as a landlocked territory studied within Heartland, the region’s deepening integration into global trade networks through mega corridors now aligns it more closely with Rimland Theory dynamics. The article addresses two key questions: How does the expansion of transport corridors facilitate the Caspian Basin’s integration into broader geopolitical and economic frameworks? Given its capacity to leverage infrastructure investments along both axes, how do the region’s countries position themselves as a geopolitically strategic focal point for major global powers? This research adopts an explanatory approach using a primarily qualitative, descriptive, and analytical methodology.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• The Caspian Basin
• Belt and Road Initiative
• International North-South Transport Corridor
• Trans-Caspian International Transport Route
• Rimland Theory

Doğu-Batı’dan Kuzey-Güney'e: Yeni Ulaşım Merkezinin Yükselişi ve Hazar Havzası

Öz

Ticaret ve ulaşım dinamiklerinde son dönemde yaşanan değişimlerin ortasında Hazar Havzası, önemli bir uluslararası lojistik merkezi olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu makale, büyük ölçekli ulaşım koridorlarının stratejik önemini vurgulamakta ve Avrasya'daki Doğu-Batı ile Kuzey-Güney eksenleri boyunca önemli altyapı projelerini analiz etmek suretiyle Hazar Havzası'nın artan lojistik potansiyelini değerlendirmektedir. Bu çalışma; geleneksel olarak Kalpgâh (Heartland) teorisi kapsamında incelenen sözkonusu bölgenin, büyük taşımacılık koridorları aracılığıyla küresel ticaret ağlarına giderek daha fazla entegre olmasıyla birlikte artık Kenar Kuşak (Rimland) Teorisi dinamikleri ile daha uyumlu bir hale geldiğini iddia etmektedir. Makale içeriğinde esas olarak iki ana soru ele alınmaktadır: Ulaşım koridorlarının yayılıp gelişmesi, Hazar Havzası'nın daha geniş jeopolitik ve iktisadi yapılanmalarla entegrasyonunu nasıl kolaylaştırmaktadır? Her iki eksen boyunca altyapı yatırımlarını kullanma kapasitesi göz önüne alındığında bölge ülkeleri, kendilerini büyük küresel güçler için jeopolitik olarak stratejik bir odak noktası olarak nasıl konumlandırmaktadır? Bu araştırma, öncelikle nitel, tanımlayıcı ve analitik bir metodoloji kullanarak açıklayıcı bir yaklaşım benimsemektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Hazar Havzası
• Kuşak ve Yol Girişimi
• Uluslararası Kuzey-Güney Ulaşım Koridoru
• Trans-Hazar Uluslararası Ulaşım Rotası
• Kenar Kuşak Kuramı

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