1. How They Impact the Region
Resources of Asia
How They Impact the Region

2. North & South Korea The two Koreas have limited natural resources.
Coal and iron, which are used in manufacturing, are plentiful in North Korea, but there is little coal or iron in South Korea.
The only minerals that are in large supply in the South are tungsten and graphite.

3. North & South Korea
North Korea is a developing country – one that has low industrial production and little modern technology.
South Korea is a developed country – one with many industries and a well-developed economy.
Because of its limited resources, South Korea must import the iron, crude oil, and chemicals it needs for its industries.
Nevertheless, South Korea has one of East Asia’s richest economies.

4. North & South Korea Discuss the following questions with your partner:
What stands out to you about this image?
What does this map tell us about resources in the Koreas?
Does this map show cooperation or conflict with regards to resources? Why?

5. China China has a large supply of mineral resources.
For more than 2,000 years, the Chinese have mined copper, tin, and iron.
China has one of the world’s largest supplies of coal, which is one of the most important mineral resources.
China also makes good use of its oil deposits, but also exports a small amount of oil.

7. Rare Earth Metals
Rare earth metals from China is a huge and important industry domestically and around the world which uses these metals to manufacture many goods.
Rare earth minerals are a group of 17 elements which are found dispersed in low concentrations and costly to extract.
China's rare earth industry makes up 97% of rare mineral trade worldwide.
China is able to make about $9 billion a year by selling the minerals to countries and companies that use R.E.M.

9. Hydroelectricity
In 2004, China produced about 20% of its electricity from hydroelectric power.
The Three Gorges Dam produces three times the electricity of the Hoover Dam.
The Three Gorges Dam across the Yangtze River is the world’s largest dam at 1.5 miles wide and more than 600 feet high.

10. Three Gorges Dam

11. Three Gorges Dam Article
Read the article
Discuss & annotate your article with your partner the answers to the following questions:
What evidence does the article give in support of building the dam? What evidence does the article give in support of not building the dam? Whose argument is stronger? Why?
Does the Three Gorges Dam create conflict or cooperation in China? What evidence supports your answer?
What is the purpose of the Chinese altering their environment?

12. India’s Natural Resources
Discuss the following questions with your partner:
Where is the densest population in India? Why do you think it is the most dense?
What are some possible issues with having so many people in one area?

14. Ganges River
Write down example where you hear cooperation or conflict over the Ganges River.

15. Discuss with your partner the following questions:
What is this?
How do you know?
Do you think it is good or bad for the environment? Why?

16. Is palm oil good or bad for SE Asians?
Although we may not realize it, most of us use a substance called palm oil each day. It is in everything from our soaps and lotions, to the food we eat. Oil palm’s are historically found in Africa and in the mid-20th-century the species was brought to Malaysia and Indonesia for large-scale production. The integration of palm oil in Southeast Asia created a booming economy that has grown astronomically in the last 40 to 50 years. Over 87% of palm oil used globally has been produced in Indonesia and Malaysia.

17. Is palm oil good or bad for SE Asians?
Palm oil production threatens tropical forests, peat lands, and wildlife habitats, environmental groups such as Greenpeace say.
More than 10% of deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia over the last 20 years occurred to make way for palm oil plantations, according to a report by the Union of Concerned Scientists. In Indonesia, an average of 300,000 hectares is lost annually to palm oil clearing, the report said.

18. Is palm oil good or bad for SE Asians?
Palm oil is considerably profitable & offers wealth and development where wealth and development are needed
It offers a route out of poverty while also offering the finances needed to protect forest
It offers a renewable source of fuel

19. Is palm oil good or bad for SE Asians?
One of the major consequences of deforestation is the effect on climate change. "Because forested land, especially forested peat land, has a high carbon density, the production of palm oil on deforested lands causes disproportionately greater...global warming emissions than an equal area of non-forested land," according to a report.

20. Reflection Question
Choose ONE of the following questions and write down an answer using three pieces of evidence for the following question:
Do resources in Asia create more cooperation or conflict?
Why do Asians alter their environment?