East & Southeast Asia

Physical Geography

• Tectonic forces created:– Himalayas– Plateau of Tibet– Kunlun Shan– Altun Shan– Tian Shan– Arakan yoma– Annamese*Shan = mountain

Himalaya Mountains

Plateau of Tibet“Roof of the World”

• Highest and largest plateau in world• ~2.5 million square miles large (4x

Texas)• Headwater to the Salween,

Mekong, and Yangtze River systems

Plateau of Tibet

Arakan Yoma

Annamese Mountains

Ring of Fire

• Lies along the Pacific Ocean rim• Japan – mount Fuji: 12,388 ft asl, highest

mountain in Japan• Java Island – Part of Indonesia; 35 active

volcanoes• Approx. 20% of the world’s earthquakes occur

in SE Asia

Plains and Rivers

• Most of the population lives on river plains or along rivers

Human Geography• This region makes up 11% of the land in the world• 25% of the world’s population lives in this region.• 20% of the world’s population lives in China

– Uneven population in China• East: 250 people per square mile• West: Less than 25 people per square mile• Dense in the lowland areas with mild and wet climates

Japan• ½ the population of the US but is only the size

of California• 858 people per square mile over all but

population distribution is not even • majority of the population lives along the

coast = 5,800 people per square mile

Java

•Huge population: 1500 people per square mile

China

• 75% of China’s population is rural but it still has cities with populations over 5 million.

• Cities are the ports and are used for trade and industry

• Restrictive residence laws so it controls urban growth

• More people in just it’s cities than the entire USA!

More Urbanization

• Japan: 80% urban, many of the cities have populations greater than 10 million people

• Southeast Asia has a growing urban population because of economic opportunities (jobs)

Vegetation

• Terraces – vegetation or crops being grown on the side of a mountain

• Rice – staple crop

• China: largest producer of rice in the world• Indonesia & Thailand: produce more rice per

capita or per person• Fish is a large part of the economy• Fish Farming: growing fish in tanks for mass

selling or export (aquaculture)

China, Mongolia, and Tibet• Landform:

– China is the 3rd largest country in the world: in size (#1 is Russia, #2 is Canada)

– 40% of China’s land is mountainous– Himalayas – world largest or highest mountain

range• Mt. Everest – world’s highest peak; 29,035 ft asl

– Plateau of Tibet• World’s highest plateau; 16,000 ft asl

– Turpan Depression• Lowest point in China, 426 ft bsl

• Rivers:– Huang He / Yellow (gets color from Loess)– Yangtze– Xi Jiang / Pearl

Climate• Affected by monsoons

– Winter: Dry, cold– Summer: Humid, rainy

• Rainfall decreases from North to West• Subtropical Climate: in Taiwan & SE China• Humid Continental Climate: in NE China• Dry Highland Climate: Western China

– Affected by rain shadow effect– Winters: -50 F– Summers: High temps cause fires

Animals • 3 animals extinct in whole world, except in China

Chinese Alligator

Giant Panda

Chinese Paddlefish

Vegetation:

• Dry Northwest: steppe grasslands, drought resistant plants

• Humid Southeast: swamps, tropical rainforest• Worlds largest producer of ducks, peanuts,

rice• South China grows tea, sugarcane, fruits• North China grows wheat, millet, soybeans• Western China grows cattle• Aquaculture: raising fish in ponds

Natural Resources

• World leading producer of coal, lead, tin, tungsten

• Exports: oil & natural gas• Hydroelectricity:

– Three Gorges Dam• Located on Chang (Yangtze) River• When completed it will be the largest dam in the

world; full operation by 2012

Agriculture Resources• Yangtze River Region:

– Paddy Fields: wetlands where rice is grown– Intensive Agriculture – using a great amount of human

labor to farm a small amount of land– Double Cropping: Harvesting 2 crops in the same plot in

order to add nutrients to the soil.

• Huang He/Yellow River Region:– Loess: yellowish, fertile soil, being eroded by the river– Summer: river overflows its banks*add nutrients to area surrounding the river

Yangtze “Chang Jiang” River

• Longest river in Asia and 3rd largest in world

• Chang Jiang means “long river”• Headway-Plateau of Tibet• Mouth-East China Sea• 1/3 of China’s populations lives along the

river

Yellow “Huang He” River• 2nd largest river in China; 6th

in world• Mouth- Bohai Sea• “Cradle of Chinese

civilization” because it was the most prosperous region of early ancient civilizations

• Appears to be yellow from Loess

China• Official Religion- Atheist (due to communist

government)• 47% urban• Government- Communist State• Economy- moving toward a market economy

from a command economy

China’s Social Issues• Censorship is strictly enforced – Google

stopped operation for a period of time in protest

• Dissenters are not tolerated and can face jail time

• China controls Tibet even though they want autonomy and therefore China views the Dali Lama as a dissenter = bad news for the Dali Lama

Tiananmen Square• 1989, Beijing China• Protests led mainly by students and intellectuals in

an attempt to incite political reforms on the communist government

• 241 dead, 7000 wounded (official from China)

and 6,848 other islands

Japan• 126 million people• 80% Urban• Largest City- Tokyo (capital) 8.9 million• Religion- Shintoism and/or Buddhism 86%• Language- Japanese• Government- Constitutional Monarchy with a

parliamentary government and a Prime Minister.

Japan - Landforms• 4 main islands: Run North to South

1. Hokkaido2. Shikoku3. Kyushu4. Honshu – largest, most populated70% of Japan is mountainsJapanese Alps – large mtn. range *located on Honshu

Mount Fuji – Peak 12,388 ft asl30% is coastal plains

• Islands are located in the subduction zone, where the Pacific plate has pushed under the Eurasian and Philippine plates: therefore, it is a hotbed for tectonic activity

Japan – Climate• Precipitation – 40-60 inches/year• Typhoons – Eastern version of hurricane (summer-

fall)• Chishima Current – warm ocean current which

brings warm, moist air to Japan

Japan - Vegetation

• Limited habitat due to population growth & deforestation (cutting & burning of forests)

Japan - Animals• Located in the Flyway Zone – migration route

Japan - Current• 65% of forest is protected -- timber is imported• Hydroelectricity & nuclear energy• Marine life – Whaling is legal in Japan

Taiwan• Political status is disputed

because since 1949, China has claimed ownership

• 23 million people• 98% Han Chinese ethnicity

“native Taiwanese”• Language- Mandarin

Chinese and Taiwanese• Religion- 93% Buddhism,

Taoism, Confucianism

Korea• 2 countries on 1

peninsula• There are no active

volcanoes

South Korea• 49 million people• 83% urban• Largest city- Seoul (capital) 9.7 million• Religion- Christianity 26%• Language- Korean (English is widely taught in

school)• Government- Republic• One of the worlds top 20 largest economies

North Korea• 24 million people• 60% urban• Language- Korean• Government- Communist State• Large amounts of money is spent on the

military

Korea: Climate• North Korea – Humid Continental: cold winter,

warm summer• South Korea – Humid Subtropical: mild winter

warm summer

Korea: Vegetation• Limited habitat due to population growth and

deforestation

Korea: Natural Resources

• North Korea: Iron ore, copper, lead, coal• South Korea: Fish

Nighttime view of Korea

Mainland: Climate

• Tropical and Subtropical climate dominate the region

• Precipitation is very high• Monsoons – bring wet/dry seasons

– Wet – floods common– Dry – fires or drought common

Mainland: Animals

• Arboreal: tree dwelling animals (monkey, bird)

Mainland: Natural Resources• Rainforest – hardwoods (floors)• Deforestation – endangered species: tiger &

elephants (on list)• Thailand – natural gas• Myanmar – oil• Vietnam – coal• Laos - Hydroelectricity

Islands of Southeast Asia: Landforms

• Malay Archipelago– Contains more than 20,000 islands– Peaks in New Guinea – some peaks have ice/snow– Straits and seas are ideal for transportation and

trade– Tectonic activity shaped the islands of SE Asia– Earthquakes and volcanoes are very common– Lahars – dangerous volcanic mudflows

• Provide rich soil

Islands: Climates

• Three Main Climates:1. Tropical Humid2. Tropical wet/dry3. Highland or mountain climate

Island: Vegetation and Animals

• Variety because of tropical rainforest• Endemic species – native to a certain region

(Ex. Komodo Dragon, Javan Rhino, Orangutan)

Island: Natural Resources

• Malaysia and Indonesia – Rubber trees• Brunei and Indonesia – Oil and natural gas

Singapore

• Primary ethnic group: Chinese• Very strict laws:

– Spitting in public places - $1,000 fine for first timers and $2,000 for repeat offenders

– Not flushing public toilets - $150 and up to $1,000 for repeat offenders

– Littering - $1,000 on first offense and up to $2,000 for repeat offenders

– Drug trafficking – can get the death penalty– Vandalism – can get jail time and caning