1. World Geography East Asia Notes

3. Physical  

4. Mainland China occupies 81% of East Asia
Also has the world’s largest population
Mongolia – size of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado combined
Population of only 2,400,000

5. Peninsulas and Islands
Korean Peninsula
- North Korea – Communist Government
- South Korea – Democratic Government
Taiwan – Island that once belonged to mainland China, which still claims it today
Japan- small island nation with large economic power
Hong Kong – Chinese Territory
- Hong Kong was Britain’s, but was returned to China’s control in 1997

6. Mountains Himalayas – Located along the western border of East Asia
- World’s highest mountains
Kunlun Mountains - located in west China
- source of Huang He (Yellow) and Chang Jiang (Yangtze) rivers
Qinling Shandi Mountains - divide northern China from the south

8. Rivers
Huang He (Yellow River)—Located in northern China flows into the Yellow Sea
- Called Yellow River because it carries tons of loess ( yellowish brown topsoil)

10. Rivers Chang Jiang(Yangtze River) – Asia’s longest river
- Flows through China and empties into the East China Sea
- major trade route, but floods often cause great damage
Japan and Korea have many short swift flowing rivers

12.   Water Resources
China’s long river systems are important to its economy
- provide crop irrigation, hydroelectric power, transportation

14. Water Resources
Three Gorges Dam on Chang Jiang will control floods & create power (world’s biggest)
- Negative effectsare that one to two million people will have to move
- hundreds of historical sites & factories will be submerged (Water Pollution?)
- some species (alligator, river dolphin, others) may vanish
-Dam could cost $75 billion rather than original $11 billion estimated

15. Water Resources Sea is important food source for East Asia
- Japan has one of world’s largest fishing industries

16. Resources of East Asia
 East Asia is rich in Natural resources, but has uneven distribution
- China, Mongolia, North Korea have natural & mineral resources
- Japan, South Korea, Taiwan have limited natural resources
Forests -Abundant in China, Japan, Taiwan, North and South Korea
- Japan reserves forests by buying timber from other regions
China has large petroleum, coal, natural gas reserves (makes it self-sufficient)

17. Climates
Desert - Gobi Desert located in Mongolia is often cold and windy

20. Climates
Subarctic - Small subarctic zones on Mongolia’s and China’s Russian borders
Humid Continental - northeastern China, northern Japan, North Korea, & northern South Korea
Humid Subtropical - Southeastern China, southern South Korea, south Japan, north Taiwan

21. Climates Tropical climate zone in East Asia is small
- strip of land along China’s southeastern coast
- island of Hainan, southern tip of Taiwan
Typhoon—tropical storm that occurs in western Pacific

23. Climate Review Questions
Which East Asian country has the world’s largest population?
What type of landform is Taiwan?
What type of Landform are North & South Korea?
What are the world’s highest mountains & where are they located in relation to East Asia?
What is Asia’s longest River?
What river is also known as he Yellow River?
Where would you find a subarctic climate in East Asia?
On what river is the Three Gorges dam being built?
What are the positive effects that the Three Gorges dam will have on China?
What are the negative effects the Three Gorges Dam will have on China?

24. China  

25. History Oldest continuous civilization
- A settled society for 4,000 years
-Stone Age cultures later ruled by dynasties—series of family rulers
1200s - arrived Europeans (Marco Polo)
1800s- European powers sought access to Chinese markets (Treaties)
1949 China became communist
- Mao Zedong ruled mainland People’s Republic

27. China’s Rural and Industrial Economies
China is largely rural society & agriculturally self-sufficient
- river valleys have rich soil; 60% of workers on farms
Can only farm 13% of land due to mountains, deserts
- grows enough to feed population
The Industrial Economy - industrial growth stunted under planned economy through 1970s
-1980s open marketplace created fast-growing economy

29.   Culture
Chinese Inventions - Paper, printing, gunpowder, compass, porcelain, silk cloth
Confucianism – inspired by Chinese philosopher Confucius (551–479 B.C.)
- orderly, educated society has respect for past, ancestors
- children obey parents; parents obey government, emperor
Taoism—from Tao-te Ching book of Lao-tzu teachings (500s B.C.)
- preserve, restore harmony in individual, universe
Indian Buddhism grew in China & was influenced by Confucianism & Taoism

31. China’s Population One-fifth of world’s people live in China
population is about 1.3 billion
Many of China’s 22 provinces are bigger than most countries
-70% of people live in 12 eastern provinces

35. Health Care
 China has provided health care for huge populace since 1950
China has dual strategy in developing health-care system
People use traditional herbal remedies & acupuncture
Doctors use modern medicine, Western drugs & surgery
- most cities have hospitals
- village clinics have trained medical workers (“barefoot doctors”)

37. China Review Questions
What does Confucianism believe that all children should do?
What does Taoism believe is important?
What is a dynasty?
Who was the leader of Communist China until 1976?

38. Mongolia

39.   History
 Mongols were nomadic herders until Genghis Khan conquered Central Asia
Genghis Khan died & successors expanded empire
1300s - Empire broke up

40. History 1600s - China gained control of Mongolia
Mongolians achieved independence
Mongolia became Communist
- remained Communist until (fall of USSR)
Mongolia now moving toward democracy

41. Economic Prospects for Mongolia
 Many people herd & manage livestock (sheep, goats, camels, horses, cattle)
- nomadic herding was economic base for centuries
- cashmere industry uses soft wool of local goats
Developing industries while making difficult shift to market economy
- Soviets guided economy for 70 years (state owned factories)

43.     Daily Life in Mongolia
 Nomads once guided animals from grassland to grassland
Nomads live in tents called yurts, made of felt, leather
- yurts are even found in capital of Ulaanbaatar
Many still raise sheep, cattle, goats; some are still nomadic
- most live on farms and ranches with small villages in center

46. Mongolia Review Questions
What do goats in Mongolia produce?
What is a yurt & in what East Asian country are they used?

47. Tawain

48. Taiwan’s Link to China
Prehistoric people migrated to Taiwan from China, southeast Asia
Chinese Nationalists lost to Communists & fled to island
- established Republic of China (not recognized by China)

52. Taiwan’s Economic Success
Prosperity based on manufacturing industries and trade
Has few resources but trained, motivated workers
Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea are economic tigers - nations with cheap labor, high technology, & aggressive exports

53. Taiwan’s Economic Success
Pacific Rim - economic, social region surrounding Pacific Ocean
- East and Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, U.S. coast

56. Taiwan’s Culture Population and culture is almost exclusively Chinese
- capital city of Taipei has Buddhist temples, Chinese art museums
Well-educated population: many universities, 30 daily newspapers

58. Taiwan’s Culture
Most speak official language of Northern Chinese (Mandarin)
People combine a number of religious, ethical beliefs
- 90% practice blend of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism
Baseball is popular in Taiwan, other parts of Asia (especially Japan)

59. Taiwan Review Questions
What three things are needed in order for a country to become an economic tiger?
What is the Pacific Rim?

60. North & South Korea

61. Korea’s History Manchurians& Chinese migrated to area by 2000 B.C.
Korea was often invaded by China & Japan
Japan conquered Korea & ruled until WWII defeat in 1945
After WWII, northern Korea is controlled by USSR, southern by U.S.
North Korean troops invaded South Korea & began Korean War
-1953 treaty ended war & divided peninsula

62. Culture Korea adopted many philosophical & religious ideas from China
- Confucian, Buddhist influences
Communism molds North Korean culture
South Korea is influenced by Western culture
North Korean government only allows Communist or folk art
South Korean artists have more freedom of expression

64. Population Patterns Most people live on coastal plains & river valleys
South Korea has 45% of peninsula’s land & 66% of population

66.   Japan  

67. Japan’s History First people came from South Pacific, or from Siberia
U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry ended Japan’s isolation
By the early 20th century, Japan is a major power (Fought U.S in WWII)
Expanding empire put Japan’s interests in conflict with U.S
After WWII - U.S. occupied Japan & brought political & economic reforms
Japan became democracy

69. An Economic Powerhouse
 Japan has world’s 2nd largest economy
Japan imports resources to manufacture products for export
- exports autos, electronics, computers
Strong ties between business and government help economy

70. Japanese Culture
Chinese influence early language, religion, art, music, government
Japan has been open to Western influences since 1800s
Popular sports are baseball, golf, sumo wrestling, soccer, tennis

71. Japanese Culture
Most clothes are Western; traditional clothes for special occasions
Western music is popular, including rock, classical, & jazz
- younger Japanese form rock bands

72. Life in Today’s Japan Highly structured educational system
- students in school six days a week; six weeks of summer vacation
- six years of elementary, three of junior high, three of high school
- Japan has more than 1,000 universities and technical schools
75% live in cities & 60% live on 2.7% of land

73. Life in Today’s Japan Houses are small & sparsely furnished
Many people in cities live in apartments
- family of four in a one-bedroom apartment is common
Some move to suburbs, but must commute several hours to work
Coastal cities reclaim land with landfill
landfill is solid waste buried in layers of dirt
- Tokyo puts factories, refineries on landfill

76. Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire
Many Japanese cities are threatened by earthquakes
- Japan is on the Ring of Fire—chain of volcanoes around Pacific Rim
Subduction -oceanic plate slides under continental plate
Since first records, at least 60 Japanese volcanoes have been active
- Mt. Fuji, Japan’s best-known landform is a volcano

79. Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire
Earthquakes and Tsunamis - An average of 1,000 earthquakes occur in Japan each year
- most are mild, but some cause many deaths, great destruction
Great Kanto earthquake and its fires killed 140,000 people
- left Tokyo in ruins, damaged or destroyed 700,000 homes

81. Physical Forces in the Ring of Fire
Underwater earthquakes move ocean floor; can create tsunami
- huge wave of great destructive power that can reach over 100 feet

86. Industrialization and Globalization
Nations industrialized & East-West trade increased after WWII
- “Made in China,” “Made in Japan” labels are common in West
Regional economies merged &, global economy developed
- global economy- nations are interdependent for goods & services
Economically powerful nations in Pacific Rim zone of prosperity
- called the Jakota Triangle—Japan, Korea (South), Taiwan

90. Economic Problems Arise
Asian economies run on efficiency, innovation, and cheap labor
1995 report from UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund)
- over 500,000 East Asian children work in factories & beg on streets

91. Economic Problems Arise
Japan entered recession—an extended decline in business activity
- Asian economic crisis spread through the world
World Bank lent money to East Asian countries that promised reform
- ban on child-labor & forced-labor practices
- Ending the use of sweatshops - places where people work long hours in poor conditions for pennies

93. Japan Review Questions
What percentage of Japanese people live in cities?
What is Japan’s best known landform?
What is the Ring of Fire?
What is subduction?
How are landfills created in Japan?
What is a recession?
What is a sweat shop?
What did the World Bank do & what was the stipulation behind its action?
What did a UNICEF report say that East Asian children were doing?
What is a global economy?
What happened during the Great Kanto Earthquake?
What is a Tsunami?
What is the Jakota Triangle?
What were shoguns?