South, Southeast, and East Asia

Physical Characteristics Mountains influence the region population settlement patterns ability of people to move climate

Mountains Himalayas Western and Eastern Ghats Mount Fuji-Japan

Varied climate regions--ranging from tropical wet to humid continental Many natural hazards--monsoons, typhoons, volcanoes, and earthquakes

Monsoon--a seasonal shift in the prevailing winds that influences large climate regions Typhoon--a destructive tropical storm occurring in the western Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, similar to a hurricane

Influence of water--(rivers, seas, and ocean currents) on agriculture, trade, and transportation

Important bodies of water--Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal, Ganges River, Indus River, Brahmaputra River, Pacific Ocean, Yangtze River (Chaing Jiang), Mekong River, Yellow River (Huang He)

Area have abundant arable land areas of loess Plateau of Tibet hard to live on Gobi Desert--second largest in the world

Economic Characteristics Varied economies in the region ranging from subsistence/commercial agriculture to high-tech industrial manufacturing Active participation in global markets

Many newly industrialized countries--South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore Japan is the economic leader of the area China is in a transition period--from a centrally planned economy to more of a tradition free market economy

Agricultural advancements and technology are enabling greater food production-- “Green Revolution” Environmental degradation deforestation fishing is important

Many countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which was set up with the US main crops are rice and tropical crops such as bananas

Cultural Characteristics Areas of extremely dense and sparse population severe contrast between rural and urban areas serious religious conflicts--primarily between Hindus and Muslims

deep respect for ancestors Religious diversity--Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Taoism, Shinto, Confucianism are the major religions

India has a strict caste system--(similar to a class structure) once born into a caste it is next to impossible to move out of that caste

Cultural heritage Silks Batik wood and ivory carving ideograms--unique alphabets jewels

Important cities--Tokyo, Japan; Beijing, China; New Delhi,India

Cultural landscape--Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, Great Wall of China, floating markets, mosques,minarets, pagodas, temples and shrines, terraced rice fields

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat

Great Wall of China

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Batik

Himalayas

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji—outside of Tokyo

Mt. Fuji

Himalayas—Mt. Everest

Gobi Desert

Buddha

Buddha in New Delhi

Shinto Shrine

Temple

Pagoda

Pagoda

Temple