Human Geography: Mongolia, Taiwan, & North and South Korea

Mongolia

 The Mongols were nomadic herders for thousands of years  Mongol history was changed forever by Genghis Khan, a title that means “supreme conqueror.”  The Chinese ruled Mongolia for hundreds of years, but in 1911 the Mongolians got their independence

Mongolia:  Annual Naadam festival of the Three Games of Men  Dates back 2,300 years

Mongolia  Influences from Soviet Union? Influences from China?  Mongolia was Communist until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1989  Influences from China?  Chinese ruled Mongolia for hundreds of years after the Mongol Empire  Led to Chinese cultural influence

Mongolia  Since the fall of Communism, Mongolia has tried to make the transition to a free- market economy.  Daily life is devoted to herding livestock and extreme climate makes this difficult.

Taiwan  Culture of Taiwan is almost exclusively Chinese  The capital city of Taipei includes Buddhist temples as well as museums of Chinese art.  Most of the people speak the official language of Northern Chinese (also called Mandarin).  More than 90 percent practice a blend of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.

Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong Beginning of 20 th Century, fighting occurs between: – Chiang Kai-shek, the Leader of the Nationalists (can have private owndership) & – Mao Zedong: Leader of the Communists (no private ownership) Communism wins, nationalist gov’t flees to Taiwan Because of this, China still does not recognize Taiwan as a country but rather a province of themselves.

 Considered an “economic tiger.”

 Part of the Pacific Rim: economic and social region of Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and West Coast of U.S.  Taiwan has opened itself to many Western influences.  Baseball has become popular in Taiwan Taiwan

Koreas: North and South 1.“The Hermit Kingdom”: isolated themselves 2.Non-Stop Invasion(s) – Japan/China (Korea is a buffer b/w them, lost of invasions) – Influence religion, art, music, etc. (Confucianism, Buddhism) 3.WWII (Japan ruled until they lost WWII) – North= Soviet Union / South= United States

 Led to the Korean War in 1950  Ended with treaty in 1953 dividing the peninsula on the 38 th parallel  Hostility remains between the 2 The Koreas: North and South

 South more Western- like, more developed, industry  An “economic tiger” South Korea

Korean Peninsula at night

Government: Hereditary juche (military order & reliance only on North Korea’s resources) single- party state - Eternal President: Kim Il-sung Eternal WPK General Secretary Kim Jong-il Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un 2011-present executes-80-for-crimes-like-watching-films-owning- bible/?fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_o bject_map={" ": }&action_type _map={" ":"og.likes"}&action_ref_map=[]