3. China’s large size and shape (containing many peninsulas) creates a very long coast line. The Korean Peninsula (which contains North and South Korea) and Island nations like Taiwan and Japan also boast long coast lines.

4. This has resulted in many wealthy port cities, like Shanghai, and made East Asia a powerful trading region. The South China Sea carries one-third of the world’s shipping traffic.

5. Islands East Asia’s location on the Ring of Fire and a continental shelf off the coast of China is the reason for the islands located there.

6. Rich volcanic soil and plentiful rainfall has allowed large populations to flourish. The isolation of these islands has permitted them to develop in greater security and allowed them to become powerful trading regions. Ownership of these important islands has been disputed over time. The Island of Hong Kong was originally part of China but controlled by Great Britain until 1997. Taiwan once belonged to China, and even though it is recognized as a separate nation China still claims it.

7. However volcanic islands do have draw backs. Plate movements there cause frequent, violent earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Japan has more than a thousand minor earthquakes every year.

8. Mountains High mountains in the west limit contact between China and the rest of Asia. These mountains were caused by converging tectonic plates. Kunlun Mountains are the source of China’s two greatest rivers the Huange He (Yellow) and the Chang Jiang (Yangtze).

10. The western part of East Asia is also home to highland areas and plateaus. The landscape of the western region causes the region to be under populated. The Plateau of Tibet in southwest China is East Asia’s highest plateau region with an elevation of about 15,000 feet. The Mongolian Plateau consists mainly of grassy pastures ideal for grazing. The people of Tibet are considered to be culturally different than the rest of Asia because of their isolation.

11. Many of the mountains along the Ring of Fire are volcanic. Japan and Taiwan have mountainous interiors surrounded by coastal plains. These interior mountains are also the volcanoes that formed the island. Mount Fuji is a dramatic peak rising above the central plains of Honshu, Japan’s biggest island.

12. Rivers China’s major rivers originate high in the Plateau of Tibet and flow eastward to the Pacific Ocean. China has three great rivers, which have been critical to the development of China’s civilizations. They feed hundreds of millions of people because of the fields and crops they irrigate. Huang He or Yellow River of northern China is 3,000 miles long and empties in the Yellow Sea. The sea and river get their name from the yellow silt they carry. Carried eastward and deposited by the river, this rich soil makes the North China Plain an agriculturally productive area. A nickname for the river is “China’s Sorrow” because of the floods it has caused.

13. The Chang Jiang or Yangtze River (which means “long river”) is the longest river in Asia at 3,900 miles long. It flows through gorges and plains and empties into the ocean at Shanghai. Xi Jiang or West River runs through southern China and joins up with the Pearl River. It flows into the South China Sea, where it has created a huge, fertile delta. The Grand Canal–the world’s longest artificial waterway– connects Hangzhou in the south to Beijing in the north.

14. Japan and Korea have short, swiftly flowing rivers with spectacular waterfalls. These rivers provide hydroelectric power.

15. Resources Natural resources are distributed unevenly throughout East Asia. Some countries are rich in resources like China and North Korea, other lack resources like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. China has large energy reserves of petroleum, coal, and natural gas. China’s resources has enabled it to be self sufficient. Japan’s shortage of resources has forced it to trade for what it needs.

16. China’s population is centered in the East near river basins and good farmable land. Here they grow rice among other crops. Timber is another resource found in most of the countries of East Asia. Japan has been able to keep most of their forest in reserve by buying timber and other forest products from other places. The rivers provide crop irrigation, hydroelectric power, and transportation. People in East Asia look to the sea for food. Japan has one of the world’s largest fishing industries.

19. High Latitude Climate Zones Subarctic climates are found along Mongolia’s and China’s border with Russia.. Mid-latitude Zones Humid Continental can be found in Northeastern China, North Korea, northern South Korea, and northern Japan. Humid Subtropical can be found in Southeastern China, southern South Korea, southern Japan, and northern Taiwan. This region is susceptible to tropical storms known as Typhoons.

20. Typhoon- a tropical storm that occurs in the western pacific.

21. Dry Zones Semiarid found in parts of the Mongolian Plateau. Most deserts are found in the west central area. The large Gobi Desert is located in northern China and southeast Mongolia. Tropical Zones Tropical Wet – found along China’s southeast coast. Highland Regions Cold Highland climates are found mostly in mountainous Western China

22. In the eastern half of the region, forests consist of evergreen and deciduous trees. Bamboo grows abundantly in warmer areas and is the only food source for rare mammals, such as giant and red pandas. People in the region use bamboo in numerous ways, from medicines to material for bridges. The Chinese have cultivated rice and soybeans for seven thousand years. These are two of their staple foods. Tea and mulberry leaves also play a major role in the culture and economy of East Asia. Summer monsoons blow from southeast to northwest, causing soaking rains Farmers depend on the summer monsoon rains for their crops.

24. Pollution Problem East Asians largely ignored environmental problems during the region’s period of industrial and economic growth. Only now are the countries of East Asia beginning to deal with these challenges.

25. Nine of the 10 most-polluted cities in the world are located in China. One major cause is China’s heavy reliance on coal, which causes smog and acid rain. In northern industrial areas, windblown dust adds to the air pollution, causing lung disease among many people living there. Neighboring countries, such as Japan, also are affected by China’s acid rain. Eighty percent of China’s cities have no sewage treatment facilities. Sewage, as well as industrial waste from factories, poses health risks to urban populations.

26. Alternative Fuel Sources Rising standards of living and growing economies have resulted in greatly increased demands for electric power in East Asia. Most of East Asia’s power comes from the burning of fossil fuels. China, North Korea, and Mongolia are able to rely on their coal reserves for power. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan are all heavily industrialized but have few coal or oil deposits. To keep their economy booming they must adapt and import fossil fuels. Alternative fuel sources are controversial but could help these nations that lack resources and prevent some of china’s air pollution.

27. Aware of the damage that fossil fuels inflict on the environment, East Asians have begun to search for cleaner sources of power. Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan rely on nuclear energy for 30 to 40 percent of their electrical power. China has built large dams along their rivers to supply hydroelectric power.

28. China’s Three Gorges Dam project on the Yangtze River aims to supply a huge amount of hydroelectric power to China’s interior. The dam itself is China’s largest construction project and will be the world’s biggest dam when completed. It will be 600 feet high and more than a mile wide. It will create a reservoir nearly 400 miles long. PROS: The dam will help control frequent flooding, which results in large losses in life. The dam will generate huge amounts of electrical power. The dam will, also, make it easier for ships to reach China’s interior. A series of locks will raise ocean-going ships up from the river to the reservoir

29. CONS: The cost of the dam will be enormous (estimates range between 11-75 billion dollars). At least 1,000 towns and villages will disappear under the waters of the reservoir when the dam is completed. Between 1-2 million people will have to be moved. Hundreds of historical and scenic spots will be submerged. The habitable land of animals will be reduced. Submerged factories could leak contaminating chemicals into the reservoir. Climate changes may result and certain species may not survive. Because of this some investors have pulled out and environmental agencies have slowed the process.

30. Nuclear Power is being used as an alternative energy source in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. PROS: It is possible to generate a high amount of electrical energy in one single plant. Nuclear power generation does emit relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). The emissions of green house gases and therefore the contribution of nuclear power plants to global warming is therefore relatively small. CONS: The waste from nuclear energy is extremely dangerous and it has to be carefully looked after for several thousand years. Nuclear power plants must be maintained and protected because of the radioactive waste produced. An attack or natural disaster could be devastating. The energy source for nuclear energy is Uranium, which is a scarce resource.

33. Limited Space Geographic challenges facing islands like Japan and Taiwan are different than those facing China. All of these nations have large populations, but island nations have less room for their population. The Japanese have learned to adapted to these tight conditions.

34. Japan is about half the size of California but has a population almost four times larger. Japan is made up of a series of mountainous islands. Most of the cities are on coast and can not expand into these mountainous regions to satisfy growing populations. More than 60% of the people live on just 3% of the land. Since it is difficult to expand into the interior the Japanese have had to adapt to living in tight conditions. They have had to learn how to make room for their people and how to handle the pollution and spread of disease that occurs when large numbers of people gather in small areas.

35. The Japanese have shown great ingenuity in adapting to limited spaces. Homes are small, but rooms are flexible and furniture is multipurpose. One of the solutions to the shortage of space are landfills. Landfill is a method of solid waste disposal in which refuse is buried between layers of dirt to fill in or reclaim low lying ground. The Japanese have used the landfill technique to dispose of waste and to create new land.