East, South, and Southeast Asia
REGIONS OF ASIA
East Asia• China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and North
Korea as well as Mongolia
Southeast AsiaMyanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, and East Timor
South AsiaPakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, the Maldives, Sri Lanka
Central Asia • Also known as “The Stans” • Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan,
Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan • Many former parts of the Soviet Union
Name some countries in Southwest Asia?
• The Middle East!!!
North Asia? • Eastern Russia
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Review!
• What is the most influential factor of climate?
Plate tectonics • Lots of plates meet in Asia so? – Lots of volcanos (Ring of Fire)– Many mountains – Earthquakes
Climate of Asia• Very varied – why?
Review!!• Why are there often deserts beside mountains?• Rain Shadow Effect / Orographic Effect – Which is the windward side? – Which is the leeward side?
Rain Shadows in Asia
Gobi Desert – caused by?
Monsoons
• Winds that switch directions with the season. • Most common in India• Causes? – Wet and dry seasons!
DEMOGRAPHICSThe study of populations
More people live in Asia than any other continent!
• The huge population puts a heavy strain on the environment.
• It also leads to overfishing, deforestation, increased pollution, soil erosion, as well as health and sanitation issues.
Which country has the largest population?
• China!• But India is expected to surpass China in the
next 40-50 years.
Where do people live?
Population Distribution
• Most people in Asia live in rural (out in the country, isolated) areas (low population). Many people are leaving the country to move to the cities.
• This growth of cities or urbanization is often because people want better paying jobs.
ECONOMICS
Levels of Economic Development
• Developed countries – Japan, South Korea, and Singapore
• Middle Income Developing countries – China and India
• Some of the world's poorest nations located here – Cambodia, Laos, North Korea, Vietnam,
Myanmar (Burma), Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal
Which region is economically and politically dominant (most powerful?)
Agriculture
• Main economic activity in Asia = agriculture – Most common crop? • Rice!
Which picture is in Japan? Which picture is in Vietnam?
• Lots of mountains so what kind of farming are you likely to see here? – Terraced Farming!
• Def: Steps carved into the side of a hill • Why?
– Gives more flat land to plant seeds – Also helps to keep water in place to feed plants
Fishing• Fish are the main source of protein in most of
South/East Asia• Aquaculture or the raising and harvesting of
fish is widely practiced in Asia South/East Asia• Korean and Japanese fleets are overfishing
due to the high demand for seafood from an ever growing population.