The World Relationships of Climate and us carry the matter one step further. Figs. 24 and 25 are maps of the climatic energy and civilization of the world prepared in the same way as the corresponding maps of the United States and Europe. They resemble one another closely. Certain details are of course different, but much of the difference arises from the influence of Europeans, whose presence elevates such places as Egypt, India, and Java. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Fig. 24 is the way in which cli matic energy declines from western Europe through Russia to Central Asia. It was long supposed that other things being equal, the climate would permit a man to be as capable in Central Asia as in Germany, but the climatic map suggests that this is not the case. From this point of view it is not surprising that the civilization of Central Asia is low. Farther East, on the other hand, climatic energy rises once more. It is comparatively high in Japan, and there we find the most progressive nation of Asia.
In the world as a whole, we seem to be led to the same conclusion as in America and Europe. Climatic energy, health and civilization go hand in hand, and with them goes business, as appears in Fig. 20. This map shows the per capita foreign commerce of the world distributed as nearly as may be to the place where it originates or where the goods are first sold. It represents with considerable accuracy the distribu tion of all kinds of business activity as well as of commerce. It like wise represents the degree of productivity of the various countries and the approximate strength of their demands for food, raw materials and manufactured goods. As it stands the map shows the same general features as the maps of climatic energy, health and civilization. If allowance were made for differences within each country the resemblance would be much more marked. Huge coun tries like India, China, Siberia, Canada, and the United States would show grades of activity much like those in Figs.
24 and 25. The re semblance between the maps of energy, civili zation, and business suggests that health and energy are essential con ditions of civilization, and are among the con ditions needed for busi ness activity. And the
highest development of health seems to depend on a stimulating climate. Several other conditions, however, are at least, equally important.
Only a race of fine mental capacity can be expected to rise high. Only a race which develops a good government and good business methods and which has high standards of education, morals, and religion, cam reach the highest levels. These conditions have long been recognized as essential to a high civilization. Our maps suggest that a stimulating climate should probably be added to their number.
In considering this conclusion the thoughtful student at once inquires about the past. Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Carthage and other great civilizations grew up in regions where the climatic energy is now low. The wonderful Maya civilization of Central America made its rowth in what is now one of the worst climatic regions on the globe. Many people have thought that these facts prove that a stimulating cli mate is by no essential to civilization. A sound conclusion is pos sible only from a study of the climate of the past. During recent years there has been a hot debate over the question of climatic changes. Various hypotheses such as those of climate change due to deforestation, a steadily progressive change, and climatic uniformity have all been advocated, but have been rejected, as has the idea that climatic changes have been of the same kind in all parts of the world. The hypothesis which is now most widely accepted is that of pulsatory changes whose nature varies in different parts of the world. In other words, during some centuries and in some regions the climate has been appreciably more stormy than now; at other times and in other places less stormy. Although some people still question this, it seems to be supported by abundant evidence from widely separated parts of the world.
Thus a stimulating climate, good health, and abundant energy appear to be essential conditions of civilization, and of the activities that lead to important business relations. Climate and health. join with race and training in determining the importance of a region in the world's work.