The Geographical Examination of Japan, Taiwan and the Koreas

 Archipelago  Japan Current  Korean Peninsula  Mount Fiji  Ring of Fire

In addition to China, four other countries make up the region we call East Asia - Japan - Taiwan - North Korea - South Korea

 Total surface area: 377,944 sq km  Capital: Tokyo  Language: Japanese  Religion: Buddhism and Shinto are widely practiced  Population: 127, 100, 000  Government: Constitutional Monarchy (Emperor)  Major Imports/Exports: Machinery and Manufactured goods  Currency: Yen

 Total surface area: 36,009 sq km  Capital: Taipei  Language: Mandarin Chinese  Religion: Mix of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism  Population: 22, 500, 000  Government: Republic  Major Imports/Exports: Textiles and machinery  Currency: New Taiwan Dollar

 Total surface area: 120,540 sq km  Capital: Pyongyang  Language: Korean  Religion: Cultural influences of Buddhism and Confucianism  Population: 22, 000, 000  Government: Communist  Major Imports/Exports: Minerals and petroleum  Currency: Won

 Total surface area: 100,210 sq km  Capital: Seoul  Language: Korean  Religion: Christianity is the largest religion, followed by Atheism and Buddhism  Population: 48, 000, 000  Government: Republic  Major Imports/Exports: Electronic equipment and machinery  Currency: Won

There are many statistical measures of the large difference in the quality of life between the North and the South. One gripping visual indication comes from a satellite picture of the Korean peninsula at night. Compared to its neighbors, North Korea (outlined for clarity) seems like a black hole. Source: chartercities.org/blog/37

The Ring of Fire is the circle of volcanoes bordering the Pacific Ocean. An arc of islands east of China marks where the Pacific, Philippine and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. Most of the mountainous islands, including Taiwan and Japan, were formed by volcanic activity. Plate movements cause frequent earthquakes that can generate tsunamis and violent volcano eruptions.

 Japan is an archipelago - an island chain  Mount Fuji is Japan’s highest peak at 12,388 ft.  The islands of Japan are totally surrounded by bodies of water- the Sea of Okhotsk to the north, the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west.  The Korean Peninsula separates the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. It is home to both North and South Korea.  The highest point in North Korea is Baekdu Mountain which is a volcanic mountain near the Chinese border.  The Han River flows through South Korea’s capital of Seoul.

Cherry Blossoms And Mount Fuji in Japan

 As islands, both Japan and Taiwan import many of their resources.  Japan, Taiwan and South Korea enjoy booming fishing industries, however Japan has been criticized for over- fishing. With only 2% of the world’s population, Japan consumes 15% of the global fish catch.  Taiwan has a small mineral reserve, however the coal supply is almost exhausted. There is an abundance of cedar and oak.  North Korea has an abundance of iron ore and tungsten while South Korea has graphite.

 All four countries share mid-latitude climates  Taiwan, part of South Korea and the southern part of Japan experience a humid, subtropical climate with warm/hot summers and heavy rains from the Pacific monsoons. Taiwan receives monsoon rains twice a year.  The northeastern quarter of North Korea and Japan have a cooler humid climate. Their summers are warm, but their winters are very cold and snowy.  Ocean currents influence climate especially in Japan. The warm water Japan Current and the cold Kuril Current have an effect on the monsoons  All are less vulnerable to drought than China due to their close proximity to the ocean

As a group of islands, Japan’s seasons are very unique and beautiful. Shown are the four seasons in Japan- Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter. Source:

 Because of their location, Japan, Taiwan and both Koreas experience natural disasters that can sometimes be very deadly  All four countries are susceptible to tsunamis, earthquakes, typhoons, flooding caused my monsoon rains and volcanic eruptions.

A tsunami wave crashes over a street in Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, in northeastern Japan on March 11, Source: news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011