Photo: Luc Van Braekel from Waregem, Belgium / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
George Friedman was born in Budapest, Hungary on February 1, 1949. George Friedman is credited as a geopolitical analyst, political scientist and non-fiction writer. That works out to 77 years old in 2026. Education on record includes City College of New York.
My Take
I have a real soft spot for George Friedman because he turned geopolitics into something the public could actually grapple with. Born in Budapest and raised in America, he built Stratfor and later Geopolitical Futures on a bold premise: that geography and history make the future more legible than we admit. His forecasts don't always land, and critics call him a determinist, but I value thinkers who commit to a clear framework and let it be tested in public. There's also poignancy in a refugee's child becoming a chief interpreter of the world order. He makes complexity feel navigable, and that is a rare gift.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- George Friedman
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョージ・フリードマン
- Reading
- じょーじ・ふりーどまん
- Born
- February 1, 1949 (age 77)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Ox
- Origin
- Budapest, Hungary
- Occupation
- geopolitical analyst / political scientist / non-fiction writer / businessperson
2. Background
- University
- City College of New York
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George%20Friedman
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q928281
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was George Friedman born?
Born February 1, 1949 (age 77).
Where is George Friedman from?
George Friedman is from Budapest, Hungary.
What does George Friedman do?
George Friedman works as geopolitical analyst, political scientist, non-fiction writer, businessperson.
Political scientist — see all → · More people from Hungary →