Geopolitics & Trade · Supply chains
The world energy map
Who produces oil and gas, who imports it, and how the US shale boom changed the game.
Step 1 of 4 · Overview15 min read ·
| Top oil producers (recent) | Notes |
|---|---|
| United States | #1 since the shale boom of the 2010s |
| Saudi Arabia | OPEC leader; swing producer |
| Russia | major exporter; sanctions reshaped flows |
OPEC+
coordinates supply cuts
Price
Brent / WTI benchmarks
Importers
China, India, Europe, Japan
Brent (North Sea) and WTI (US) are the two main oil benchmarks. Chokepoints from the Geography 1 lesson determine how oil physically moves.
Key idea
Energy prices feed inflation, which feeds central-bank decisions, which feed yields: geography → rates.Next: Practice