CHAPTER VIII. COAST PEOPLES

The coast a zone of transition--The inner edge--Shifting of the inner edge--Outer edge in original settlement--In early navigation--In colonization--Inland advance of colonies--Interpenetration of land and sea--Ratio of shore-line to area--Criticism of the formula--Accessibility of coasts from hinterland--Accessibility of coasts from the sea--Embayed coasts--Contrasted coastal belts--Evolution of ports--Influence of offshore islands--Previous habitat of coast-dwellers--Habitability of coasts as a factor in maritime development--Geographic conditions for brilliant maritime development--Scope and importance of seaward expansion--Ethnic contrast between coast and interior peoples--Ethnic amalgamations of coastlands--_Lingua franca_ a product of coasts--Coast-dwellers as middlemen--Differentiation of coast from inland people--Early civilization of coasts--Progress from thalassic to oceanic coasts--Importance of geographic location of coasts--Historical decline of certain coasts--Complex interplay of geographic factors in coastlands.