<p>As the world becomes more interconnected through travel and electronic communication, many believe that physical places will become less important. But as Mario Polèse argues in <i>The Wealth and Poverty of Regions</i>, geography will matter more than ever before in a world where distance is allegedly dead.</p> <p>This provocative book surveys the globe, from London and Cape Town to New York and Beijing, contending that regions rise—or fall—due to their location, not only within nations but also on the world map. Polèse reveals how concentrations of industries and populations in specific lo