Physical Geography of Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Antarctica: A Region of Extremes This wide and varied region includes the South Pole icescape, volcanic Pacific islands, Southeast Asian tropics, and Australian deserts.

Section 1 Landforms and Resources This region includes two peninsulas of Asia, two continents, and more than 20,000 islands. Its landforms include mountains, plateaus, and major river systems.

Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands Peninsulas and Islands Mainland Southeast Asia lies on two peninsulas -rectangular Indochinese Peninsula is south of China -Malay Peninsula is 700-mile strip south from mainland Malay Peninsula bridges mainland and island archipelagoes -archipelago—set of closely grouped islands, often in a curved arc -Malay Archipelago includes the Philippines, Indonesian islands

continued Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands Mountains and Volcanoes Mainland mountain ranges, like Annamese Cordillera, run north- south -fan out from northern mountainous area Island mountains are volcanic in origin, part of Pacific Ring of Fire -volcanic eruptions, earthquakes are common in region

Rivers and Coastlines Several large mainland rivers run south through mountain valleys -spread out into fertile deltas near coast Mekong River starts in China, ends in wide delta on Vietnam coast -farming, fishing along river support millions of people continued Southeast Asia: Mainland and Islands Resources Volcanic activity, flooding rivers create nutrient-rich, fertile soil Rivers, seas provide fish; some areas have petroleum, tin, gems

Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica No Exact Number No one knows how many islands there are in the Pacific -some estimate there are more than 20,000 -hard to count because islands vanish and new ones appear As a group, the Pacific Islands are called Oceania -includes New Zealand, Australia (a continent, not an island) -doesn’t include Philippines, Indonesia—culturally Asian

Flat Australia Australia is earth’s smallest, flattest continent Great Dividing Range—chain of highlands parallel to east coast West of range are plains and plateaus Murray River is largest of continent’s few rivers Little forestry, but rich in bauxite, diamonds, opals, lead, coal Great Barrier Reef—1,250-mile chain of 2,500 reefs, islands continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica

Icy Antarctica Fifth-largest continent is circular in shape, centered on South Pole Thick ice sheet covers landscape—world’s largest fresh- water supply Transantarctic Mountains divide continent -East Antarctica is plateau surrounded by mountains, valleys -West Antarctica is group of separate islands linked by ice There could be coal, minerals, petroleum under ice -in 1991, 26 nations agreed not to mine region for 50 years continued Lands of the Pacific and Antarctica

Climate and Vegetation This region’s climates range from tropical to desert to polar icecap. There is a great diversity of plant and animal life, including some species found nowhere else in the world.

Widespread Tropics Year-Round Rains Tropical wet climate in coastal Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Oceania -also in most of Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines High temperatures—annual average of 80 degrees in Southeast Asia Parts of Southeast Asia get 100, even 200 inches of rain annually Some variations—high elevations in Indonesia have glaciers

Wet and Dry Seasons Tropical wet and dry climate borders the wet climate -weather is shaped by monsoons -found in parts of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam Temperatures are consistently hot, but rainfall varies Monsoon areas often have disastrous weather -typhoons can occur in region during the wet season continued Widespread Tropics

Hot and Cold Deserts Arid Australia One-third of Australia is desert, located in the continent’s center -under 10 inches of rain annually; too dry for agriculture Band of semiarid climate encircles desert -20 inches of rain annually; crops need irrigation Dryness caused by tropical, subtropical heat that evaporates rain Few live in dry inland region called the outback

The White Desert Antarctica is earth’s coldest, driest continent -icecap climate: temperatures can drop to –70 degrees Cold air doesn’t hold moisture well -has 1/10 the water vapor of temperate zones Area receives little precipitation; called a polar desert Plants are lichens, mosses; animals are sea life, birds (penguins) continued Hot and Cold Deserts

Human-Environment Interaction Pacific Islanders developed technology that enabled them to travel the Pacific Ocean. This region has been damaged by nuclear testing and the introduction of European animals.

Traveling the Pacific Navigation Charts It’s believed Pacific Island settlers came from Southeast Asia -use land bridges, small rafts, canoes to reach nearest islands Later venture further out, use stars and charts to navigate -on charts, sticks show wave patterns, shells show islands Islanders keep secrets of charts until late 1800s -then begin using European navigation methods

Special Canoes To sail ocean, islanders develop special voyaging canoes -double hulls stabilize canoe, allow it to carry lots of weight -canoes use sails, sometimes have cabin on top for shelter -carry plants to be grown at destination Large voyaging canoes are awkward in island lagoons -use outrigger canoe—float attached on one side for balance continued Traveling the Pacific

Invasion of the Rabbits The Rabbit Problem European colonizers bring animals to Australia, including rabbits In 1859, Thomas Austin releases 24 rabbits into Australia to hunt -one pair can have 184 descendents in 18 months -Australia has over one billion rabbits by 1900 Rabbits strip sparse vegetation, ruin sheep pastures, cause erosion -resulting lack of food endangers native animals

Control Measures Efforts are made to control number of rabbits -import foxes to prey on them, but foxes also endanger native wildlife In 1950s, they’re intentionally infected with myxomatosis; 90% die -ranches then able to support twice as many sheep -rabbits become immune to disease; back to 300 million by 1990s Today a combination of poisons, diseases, fences are used continued Invasion of the Rabbits

Nuclear Testing Tests in Bikini Atoll Nuclear arms race between U.S., USSR begins in the 1940s -U.S. conducts 66 nuclear bomb tests on Bikini, Enewetak atolls -atoll—ringlike coral island, or islands, surrounding a lagoon Marshall Islands’ Bikini Atoll is far from shipping, air routes “Bravo” hydrogen bomb test vaporizes several islands -radiation contamination injures or sickens many islanders

Long-Term Effects Bikini Islanders moved to the island of Kili in conditions there don’t allow them to fish or grow enough food U.S. declares Bikini safe in late 1960s, some islanders return -in 1978, doctors find dangerous radiation levels in islanders -islanders leave again Cleanup of Bikini Atoll begins in still unknown when Bikini will be suitable for humans again continued Nuclear Testing