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The exploration of resources have shaped
economic history throughout time. It fueled the growth of great
empires from the Athenians and the Chin Dynasty to the Mongol
Khans. Later, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and the United
Kingdom achieved global prominence by gaining control over
large, resource-rich regions. Between the mid-16th and late
18th century, Europe's domain spread from three
million to over seven million square kilometers, with greatly
expanded access to both foodstuffs and mineral riches