What about the phoenician geography made them rely on imports and exports

The Phoenician geography made them rely on imports and exports because of they lack in farmland and their close proximity to the Mediterranean.

The Phoenicians subsisted on a narrow strip of the Syrian coast. This land consists of highlands and mountains with a munificence of forests. However, it lacks the productive land which would have made large-scale cultivation possible.

Due to the inadequate size of their territory, the Phoenicians relied on the sea and commerce to sustain their living.  The lack of sufficient farmland drove the Phoenicians to turn to the sea and became navigators and traders, which resulted in their establishing many colonies. They traded silver, lead, horses, ebony, iron, tin,  ivory, and precious stones.