Southeast Asia and Oceania

Chapters 30-32

Landforms

• Peninsulas and Islands– Two distinct regions: Southeastern corner of Asian

mainland and many islands– Archipelago: a set of closely grouped islands

which sometimes curve in an arc– Indochina Peninsula and Malay Peninsula come

from mainland Asia• Mountains and Volcanoes– Volcanoes and earthquakes cause many tsunamis

Landforms

• Rivers and Coastlines– Several large rivers in the mainland– Mekong River- starts in China and flows through

several SE Asia nations and creates a delta in Vietnam

• Resources– Fertile soil is a valuable resource– Flowing volcanoes and flooding rivers add nutrients

to the soil– Plentiful fisheries on these rivers

Lands of Oceania and the Pacific

• No one knows the exact total of islands in the Pacific. – Estimates are up to more than 20,000– Low Islands: made of coral reefs– High Islands: created by volcanoes

Climate

• Widespread Tropics: Two types of Tropics– Tropical wet climate: Myanmar, Thailand,

Vietnam, and Oceania• High temperatures • Average over 100 inches of rain per year

– Tropical wet and dry climate: Laos, Cambodia, and northern Australia• Monsoons shape the weather • Area may dictate rainfall (ex. Mountains)

Climate

• Mild Summers and Cool winters– New Zealand’s marine west coast climate– Mountains influence this climate

• Hot and Cold Deserts– Arid Australia

• 1/3 of Australia is desert in the center of the continent• Outback: the unpopulated, desert region of central Australia

– The White Desert• Located around the South Pole• Cold air prevents precipitation

Human-Environment Interaction

• Invasions of the Rabbits– In 1859, Thomas Austin released 24 rabbits in

Australia for hunting– Rabbits can have up to 184 descendants in 18

months– Australia does not have the natural predators for

rabbits– Rabbit population grew to more than a billion by

1900– Rabbits graze the plant life and destroyed crops

Human-Environment Interaction

• Government responds– Tried to import foxes

• Foxes just made other animal populations decrease as well

– Tried to build a 2,000 mile fence• Rabbits bit through the fence

– Tried to poison the rabbits• It declined the rabbit population by 90%• Rabbits became immune to the poison

– Today, the government is trying a combination of fences, poisons, and destroying rabbit homes• No one knows if it is actually working

Human-Environment Interaction

• Nuclear Testing– As part of the United States’ nuclear testing during

the Cold War– Bikini Islands were chosen for tests• US government moved the 167 islanders to a new island

chain• Some islands were vaporized by the tests• Islanders moved back and suffered high levels of

radiation• The islands are not habitable today and no one knows

when they will be able to be lived on again.

Southeast Asia

• Many cultures influence SE Asia– China influenced the region most– Hinduism and Buddhism spread

• Area didn’t have set borders – Organized into rings of power known as mandalas – Centered around a center court– Neighboring mandalas might have overlapped and

were forced to have alliances– The Khmer Empire was the largest and ruled what is

now Cambodia

Southeast Asia

• European Colonialism– Europeans began to arrive in 1509– Didn’t want land at first, they wanted resources

• Gain wealth

– By the 20th century, savvy business and trade moves had positioned Europe into owning all of SE Asia except for Siam (now Thailand)

– Japan took over large chunks of SE Asia in claiming “Asia for Asians.”– After WWII, many had to fight for independence between 1946-1949

• Indochina started war for independence against the French in 1954 -created Laos, Cambodia, North and South Vietnam– Communism took over all countries after 1975

Southeastern Asia

• Economies– Rice is the main crop of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos,

and Myanmar– Teak wood: yellowish-brown wood valued for its

durability comes from Myanmar– ASEAN: Association of Southeast Asian Nations, an

alliance that promotes economic growth and peace • Has allowed countries to grow manufacturing quickly as

well finance centers• All countries in the area are members.

Southeastern Asia

• Changing Lifestyles– The Villages

• Live in wooden houses on stilts for protection against floods

• Most villages have a Buddhist temple• Lead by a group of leaders that stress cooperation• Traditional clothing worn but starting to modernize slowly

– The Cities• Huge skyscrapers and modern businesses.• Shortage of housing for the large number of people

migrating to the cities

Oceania

• Oceania includes: Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu– Sometimes Australia and New Zealand

• First people came to these islands from the mainland exploring– Sailed by boat to get there

• Broke up into three regions:– Micronesia: tiny islands– Melanesia: black islands– Polynesia: many islands

Oceania

• First contact with Europeans in the 1500s– Traders wanted coconut oil, sugar, and fruits– Hunters wanted whales

• Oceania played a vital part in WWII– Used in United States’ campaign of “Island

Hopping”– Used for nuclear tests

Oceania

• Most of Oceania economies are subsistence activities– Only make, grow, and build what is truly needed– The only exception is Nauru• They mine phosphate for fertilizers• Supply will run out soon

– Tourism is very popular

Oceania

• Language and Religion– One of the most linguistically diverse regions in the world– 825 languages spoke in Papua New Guinea alone– English is the most common in region

• Due to missionary work• Also helped spread Christianity

• Island Life– Many villages living the way they have for centuries– Fishing, farming, and living with large extended families– Rapidly growing cities and infrastructure that will eventually

connect all the islands.

Australia and New Zealand

• In 1788, Great Britain founded Sydney, Australia as a penal colony

• The Original Inhabitants migrated 40,000 years ago and are called Aboriginals.– They had a complex religion and social structure

• New Zealand was first inhabited by the Maori– Came from Polynesia and lived by fishing, hunting, and

farming• Captain James Cook was the first to explore the

area for Britain

Australia and New Zealand

• European Settlement– Australia was founded as a penal colony

• Many fights between the British and the Aboriginals

– New Zealand was founded by hunters and whalers• The British and Maori tribes signed the Treaty of Waitangi to

give Britain control of New Zealand

• Economy– Both are members of the British Commonwealth and

prosper with their help– Major farm goods exporter– Mine gold, coal, diamonds, copper, and zinc

Australia and New Zealand

• Distinct Cultures:• Australia

– Most Australians are of British descent• Changing due to immigration

– Mostly Christian society– Live a lot like Britain

• Drink tea and drive on the left side of the road• Accents

• New Zealand– Mostly from British and European descent

• Called pakehas- Maori for white people• Maori got along with the British and have flourished

Australia and New Zealand

• Modern Life– City and Country

• 89% and 87% of Australian and New Zealanders live in cities– Some of the most urbanized in the world

• Farmers and ranchers live far from societies

– Recreation• Spend a great deal of time outdoors

– Due to climate

• Australian rules football (like rugby), tennis, golf, baseball, skiing, mountain climbing

SE Asia and Oceania Issues Today

• Aboriginal Land Claims– Aborigines wanted tribal lands that they claimed were lost– Australian government denied them these lands

• Used for farming and mining

• More land claims– Land Rights Act of 1976

• Gave Aboriginal people the right to claim land in the Northern Territory

– Australian government also took mixed race children from 1906-1969 and made them live with white families• Learn the English and Western ways and NOT indigenous ways

• What claims does a more developed people have over a less developed people that have been there longer?

SE Asia and Oceania Issues Today

• Industrialization– People trying to escape poverty see this as a way to prosper– People move to cities to gain these jobs

• Push Factors: forces that push people out of their homelands– Lost resources, soil erosion, land scarcity, higher village

populations• Pull Factors: Pull people to a new place

– Industry, job opportunities, desire for education, city life• How does a nation grow their economies while not

hurting their infrastructure?