Southeast Asia

Tropical Almost all of SE Asia lies within the tropics Unique climate led to unique plants Nutmeg and cloves in eastern Indonesia Thick tropical forests Worked as a shield from the north Thus, sailing was preferable Fertile rivers from the highlands Low altitude valleys for agriculture

Interconnectedness Link between India and China High altitude v. Low Link between India and China Traders were drawn to SE Asia Unique indigenous goods Chinese and Indian goods The “East Indies” markets Indonesia as hub of trade 17,000 islands with rough inlands and volcanoes Sailing preferred Waters here are shallow, calm, and warm Minus the Philippines, which sees typhoons regularly Shallow water v. Deep

Beauty and the 3rd World Categorizing regions of the world 1st world 2 3 Categorizing regions of the world 1st world Western, modern, and democratic 2nd world Developing, industrializing, and semi-democratic 3rd world Struggling, foreign ownership, and corruption Pollution, dumping, and waste management Internal and external issues E-waste and 1st world dumping in the 3rd world

Consistency Equatorial climates are predictable Consistent rain and fertile land Led to ethnic groups emerging and prospering Vietnamese Burmese Thai

Diversity World languages: 6,000 | 1,000 are in SE Asia Well-connected through sailing and trade Hinduism, Chinese philosophy, Islam all spread peacefully Highlands and isolated communities Localized and sedentary

3rd World Struggles Two main cultural blends Mainland Island Indian and Chinese Island Chinese, Indian, Western, and the indigenous Austronesian culture Poor nations Foreign encroachment Corruption Crime