Geographical determinism is a theory which gets thrown around sometimes in amateur political science circles, but ultimately it doesn’t make a lot of sense, neither does it have significant predictive power.
| cc | ge | pv | rl | rq | va | GDP per capita | Homicide Rate | Population | Latitude | Landlocked | CPI score 2021 | Overall Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homicide Rate | -0.208828 | -0.222991 | -0.074121 | -0.231639 | -0.204292 | -0.052526 | -0.201697 | 1.000000 | -0.045079 | -0.237331 | -0.069615 | -0.231583 | -0.092042 |
| Population | -0.062217 | 0.045046 | -0.148219 | -0.022726 | -0.042365 | -0.105903 | -0.100371 | -0.045079 | 1.000000 | 0.068069 | -0.128136 | -0.027728 | -0.025829 |
| Landlocked | -0.177258 | -0.142432 | -0.185774 | -0.151104 | -0.110695 | -0.179183 | -0.039809 | -0.069615 | -0.128136 | 0.074242 | 1.000000 | -0.191377 | -0.186025 |
| Latitude | 0.239375 | 0.311888 | 0.055338 | 0.282971 | 0.306669 | 0.106360 | 0.381613 | -0.237331 | 0.068069 | 1.000000 | 0.074242 | 0.280653 | 0.149164 |
| political stability | 0.756503 | 0.742135 | 1.000000 | 0.785730 | 0.696706 | 0.735506 | 0.479743 | -0.074121 | -0.148219 | 0.055338 | -0.185774 | 0.734810 | 0.696773 |
| voice and accountability | 0.801513 | 0.731348 | 0.735506 | 0.817067 | 0.770079 | 1.000000 | 0.480132 | -0.052526 | -0.105903 | 0.106360 | -0.179183 | 0.802581 | 0.969992 |
| Overall Score | 0.774462 | 0.757297 | 0.696773 | 0.817232 | 0.806616 | 0.969992 | 0.586707 | -0.092042 | -0.025829 | 0.149164 | -0.186025 | 0.773204 | 1.000000 |
| corruption | 1.000000 | 0.905789 | 0.756503 | 0.941908 | 0.890307 | 0.801513 | 0.656148 | -0.208828 | -0.062217 | 0.239375 | -0.177258 | 0.987219 | 0.774462 |
| rule of law | 0.941908 | 0.931614 | 0.785730 | 1.000000 | 0.927799 | 0.817067 | 0.656527 | -0.231639 | -0.022726 | 0.282971 | -0.151104 | 0.947471 | 0.817232 |
| regulatory quality | 0.890307 | 0.936216 | 0.696706 | 0.927799 | 1.000000 | 0.770079 | 0.679930 | -0.204292 | -0.042365 | 0.306669 | -0.110695 | 0.899863 | 0.806616 |
| government effectiveness | 0.905789 | 1.000000 | 0.742135 | 0.931614 | 0.936216 | 0.731348 | 0.688253 | -0.222991 | 0.045046 | 0.311888 | -0.142432 | 0.915234 | 0.757297 |
| CPI score 2021 | 0.987219 | 0.915234 | 0.734810 | 0.947471 | 0.899863 | 0.802581 | 0.788648 | -0.231583 | -0.027728 | 0.280653 | -0.191377 | 1.000000 | 0.773204 |
| GDP per capita | 0.656148 | 0.688253 | 0.479743 | 0.656527 | 0.679930 | 0.480132 | 1.000000 | -0.201697 | -0.100371 | 0.381613 | -0.039809 | 0.788648 | 0.586707 |
No one geographic feature does a good job at describing any one political factor. However, political factors do a good job at describing economic factors.
When testing geographic determinism, its important to include political factors which overpower the relatively small impact geography makes in quality of government.