Welcome to the WC, wherein you’re trapped in my mind for eight to ten minutes weekly.
We spent the last two weeks diving into the likely impact of both the Trump and Harris administrations on the alternative investing markets.
This week and next, I’m camping out in the south of France with the fam, so you’ll get themed issues on something you may not know a lot about. (I didn’t until I went down this rabbit hole.)
Today, we’re learning about five of the most remote places on earth and digging around to see if there’s anything worth investing in.
This week we’ll look at:
- The Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility
- The North American Pole of Inaccessibility
Next week, we’ll look at
- The South American Pole of Inaccessibility
- The African Pole of Inaccessibility
- The Australian Pole of Inaccessibility
Let’s go.
First off, what’s a pole of inaccessibility?
A continental pole of inaccessibility (PIA) is the location on a continent that is farthest from any coastline.
In other words, it’s the most landlocked point on a given continent. The geographer Vilhjalmur Stefansson first introduced this concept in the early 20th century.
They’re the red dots on the map below:
All of them are fairly remote, though the North American PIA is in South Dakota, which feels a bit like cheating.
There are also other types of poles of inaccessibility beyond the continental ones. For example:
- The oceanic pole of inaccessibility is also known as Point Nemo
- There are also poles of inaccessibility for specific seas or other geographical features.
We’ll leave those for now.
Table of Contents
The Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility
Let’s begin with the most controversial pole.
Among Pole Enthusiasts, the Eurasian PIA is notable for a couple of reasons:
Because Eurasia is so big, it’s the most landlocked place on earth. The King of Poles of you will.
It’s the only PIA that covers two continents, which some argue makes it a fugazi pole.
Where is The Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility?
The EPIA is located in the Dzungarian Basin in Northwest China, near the border with Kazakhstan and Mongolia. It’s an arid desert and is in a valley, more or less.
What’s nearby?
Ürümqi, China, is the nearest city of note. Around 200km from the PIA, there are four million people living there.
It’s rich in mineral resources, including coal, oil, gold, copper, nickel, and natural gas.
The Heavenly Lake of Tianshan is (sort of) close by, and it’s fairly stunning.
Investment opportunities near the Eurasian PIA
It’s going to be tough if you’re not Chinese.
But if you are, or you know the right people, there’s a lot going on.
Tacheng City is located in a Xinjiang Economic Development Zone, which offers tax incentives, land use benefits, and other support. (This is like a Chinese version of America’s Opportunity Zones)
Urumqi (the capital of Xinjiang) is also the center of the Silk Road international trade logistics belt:
The land port, with a planned area of 67 sq km, is an important hub connecting the two economic belts of Asia and Europe, and is the closest logistics hub of the China Railway Express to Europe (Urumqi route) to Central and Western Asia and Europe.
And there’s a lot more if you’re bold:
- Solar and Wind Energy: Vast open spaces ideal for large-scale solar and wind farms
- Traditional Medicine: Rich heritage of Uyghur traditional medicine
- Specialty Textiles: Region known for high-quality cotton production
- Cultural Tourism: Diverse cultures and unique landscapes
- Ethnic Minority Products: Diverse ethnic cultures with unique traditional crafts
- Resource Extraction: Abundant mineral resources in the region
- Food Processing: Known for unique fruits like Hami melons
Lots going on.
How do you get to The Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility?
It’s fairly straightforward, really.
You will have to find your way to the middle of the Gurbantünggüt Desert.
From Ürümqi, the China National Highway 216 crosses the desert to Altay City; your best shot at reaching the Pole, about 100 miles from Ürümqi, is to follow the highway north, to then enter the desert and cross the remaining 50 miles with a four-wheel drive.
Nobody is running tours from Ürümqi, which seems like a missed opportunity.
Want to learn more?
Empires of the Silk Road: A History of Central Eurasia from the Bronze Age to the Present: Christopher I. Beckwith. This comprehensive history of Central Eurasia provides context for the current economic developments, and investment opportunities in areas surrounding the Eurasian PIA.
China’s Asian Dream: Empire Building along the New Silk Road: Tom Miller. This book examines China’s economic ambitions in Asia and its investments in Central Asia. It provides valuable context for understanding the economic dynamics in the region surrounding the Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility.
The Silk Roads: A New History of the World: Peter Frankopan. While not specifically about the Pole of Inaccessibility, this book offers insights into how the region’s geography has shaped trade over the centuries.
The North American Pole of Inaccessibility
This one is quite straightforward. It’s just there in South Dakota.
Where is The North American Pole of Inaccessibility?
The North American PIA is on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, just north of Allen, SD (Population 460).
What’s nearby?
It’s just south of the Badlands National Park, which is an extraordinary place.
The notorious Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is also reasonably nearby, just two and a half hours northwest.
Also lots of Native American reservations.
Investment opportunities near the North American PIA
First thing you notice about the area around Allen, SD, is that land is cheap. Like $3,000 an acre for 200 acres cheap.
And it’s quite pretty in its own way:
Beyond that, it’s the middle of nowhere in South Dakota, so options are somewhat limited.
But if you want to get creative:
- Renewable Energy: The Oceti Sakowin Power Authority is planning wind farms on tribal lands.
- Housing Development: Improved housing is needed on the reservation. Investments in sustainable, culturally appropriate housing projects could have an impact.
- Arts and Crafts Industry: The region has a rich tradition of Native American art. Investing in facilities or programs to support artisans and market their products could boost the local economy.
- Tourism Infrastructure: Given Badlands National Park’s proximity, investments in eco-tourism facilities or cultural tourism experiences could capitalize on the area’s natural beauty.
- Education and Training Centers: Investments in vocational training facilities or expansion of existing educational institutions like Oglala Lakota College could address local skill gaps.
- Sustainable Water Projects: Water scarcity is a concern in the region. Investments in water conservation technologies or infrastructure could be profitable.
South Dakota’s STEP program reimburses costs of international expansion if you want to take your Native American crafts biz global.
And there’s almost no state taxes in South Dakota, provided you find a way to make a profit.
How do you get to the North American Pole of Inaccessibility?
This one is easy. You drive 13 minutes north of Allen, then walk 200m. It feels like cheating.
Want to learn more?
Investing in Rural Prosperity: Andrew Dumont. A comprehensive look at strategies for investing in rural communities.
The New Geography of Jobs: Enrico Moretti. This book examines how location affects economic opportunities. I loved this book.
Seeing Red: Indigenous Land, American Expansion, and the Political Economy of Plunder in North America: Michael John Witgen. This book explores the complex relationship between Native American lands and American expansion.
That’s all for this week.
Next week we’ll do South America, Africa, and Australia.
Cheers,
Wyatt
Disclosures
- Our friends at Sensate sponsored this issue.
