1. Physical Description East/Southeast Asia
SSWG5
The student will describe the interaction of physical and human systems that have shaped contemporary South Asia, Southeastern Asia, and Eastern Asia.
a. Describe the location of major physical features and their impact on the regions of Asia.
b. Describe the major climates of each region and how they have affected each region’s development.
c. Analyze the impact of the topography and climate on population distribution in the regions.
e. Analyze the impact of population growth in the region on both the region and on other regions of the world; include China, India, and Japan.

2. East Asia & SE Asia/Background
Includes 4 major areas:
China, Mongolia, Taiwan (1)
Japan, North/South Korea (2)
Mainland SE Asia (3)
Islands SE Asia (4)

3. Landforms /China, Mongolia, Taiwan
world’s 3rd largest country
Mountains cover 40% of China’s land area
Himalayas located in SW with Nepal and Bhutan
Includes Mount Everest on border

4. Landforms/China, Mongolia, Taiwan continued
Mongolian Plateau (1)
makes up most of country
elevation from 3,000-5,000 ft
Gobi Desert (2)
Extends from north-central China into Mongolia—bare rock/gravel
Gobi means “waterless place”
Taiwan
Eastern coast has high, steep mts
Western coast flatter
Located near tectonic plates/earthquakes common

5. Bodies of Water/China
Plains and river valleys in eastern China hold large amount of population
Area receives most rain
3 major rivers:
1. Huang (Yellow) River
2. Chang (Yangtze) River
3. Xi River

6. China, Mongolia, Taiwan/Climate
Influenced by Asian monsoon season
Dry winter winds blow from the Asian interior to the coast
Winds can be bitterly cold
Can cause typhoons in summer
SE China/Taiwan --- mild humid subtropical climate
NE China --- humid continental
Western China --- dry highland climate
Mongolia---high continental— very cold, dry winters, mild summers

7. China/Natural Resources
Huge amounts of resources
World’s leading producer of coal, lead, tin, and tungsten
Most important reserves are located in north and northeast
Oil and natural gas found in many areas
Only 10% of China has fertile land
Chang River important for rice fields

9. Japan/The Koreas/Landforms
4 main islands/thousands of smaller ones
70% is mountainous
Longest mt range -- Japanese Alps
Japan’s highest peak -- Mt. Fuji (12, 388 ft)
Lies in the Ring of Fire
1500 earthquakes can occur in Japan every yr
Almost 200 volcanoes and 1/3 are active

10. Japan/The Koreas/Landforms
Korean Peninsula
600 miles long
Same size as Utah
Mostly hills/low mts
Most people in the Koreas live on a coastal plain on the west coast

11. Japan’s Natural Resources
Japan lacks many mineral and energy resources
Have to import most minerals and resources
Ex: oil, coal, timber, iron, and aluminum

12. Mainland SE Asia
Includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam
3 major landform regions:
Rugged mountains in north (Himalayas & Plateau of Tibet) (1)
Plains & plateaus in Thailand and Cambodia (2)
River valleys & deltas (3)

13. Mainland SE Asia continued
Mekong River is largest in region
Flows through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam
Area holds tropical rain forests

14. Island Southeast Asia
Includes Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore
Area contains more than 20,000 islands
Shaped by tectonic activity
Many seas/narrow straits separate islands
Strait of Malacca: lies between island of Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula
Major shipping route for area

15. Climate of SE Asia Tropical climate Area affected by monsoons
inches of annual rainfall
Area affected by monsoons
High precipitation
Typhoons affect Philippines
Area has many tropical rainforests

16. Natural Resources SE Asia
Tropical rainforests used for timber
Mahogany, teak and ebony
Iron, manganese, tin, and tungsten
Export sapphires and rubies
Large exporters of rice
Opium is grown in mountains of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos

17. Tsunami
Tsunami: catastrophic ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake, coastal landslide, or volcanic eruption
Japanese for “harbor wave”
Travels up to 500 mph in deep water
Tsunami warning systems have been created to detect hazards
Begin warnings after underwater earthquakes that register 7.0 or higher
Estimates path, magnitude, and arrival time of tsunami

18. Tsunami of 2004 Most destructive tsunami ever recorded
Hit (Sumatra) Indonesia, Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Somalia
Caused by 9.0 earthquake in Indian Ocean off Sumatra’s coast
Sumatra is largest island in Indonesia
Waves that hit Sumatra were between feet high
2 hrs after the earthquake, 30 foot waves hit the shores of India and Sri Lanka

19. Tsunami of 2004 continued More than 225,000 people were killed
200,000 dead in Sumatra
1000’s in Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka
Deaths in Malaysia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Maldives, and Somalia
1000’s dead were tourists to the area
Tsunami lasted 7 hours and spread to Eastern Africa