South, Southeast, South, Southeast, and East Asiaand East Asia

Physical CharacteristicsPhysical Characteristics Mountains influence the regionMountains influence the region

population settlement patterns population settlement patterns ability of people to moveability of people to moveclimateclimate

MountainsMountainsHimalayasHimalayasWestern and Eastern GhatsWestern and Eastern GhatsMount Fuji-JapanMount Fuji-Japan

Varied climate regionsVaried climate regions--ranging --ranging from tropical wet to humid from tropical wet to humid continentalcontinental

Many natural hazardsMany natural hazards----monsoons, typhoons, volcanoes, monsoons, typhoons, volcanoes, and earthquakesand earthquakes

MonsoonMonsoon a seasonal shift in the a seasonal shift in the

prevailing winds that influence prevailing winds that influence large climate regionslarge climate regions

TyphoonTyphoon a destructive tropical storm a destructive tropical storm

occurring in the western occurring in the western Pacific Ocean or the China Pacific Ocean or the China Sea, similar to a hurricaneSea, similar to a hurricane

Influence of waterInfluence of water (rivers, seas, and ocean (rivers, seas, and ocean

currents) on agriculture, trade, currents) on agriculture, trade, and transportationand transportation

Important bodies of waterImportant bodies of water Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Bay

of Bengal, Ganges River, Indus of Bengal, Ganges River, Indus River, Brahmaputra River, Pacific River, Brahmaputra River, Pacific Ocean, Yangtze River (Chaing Ocean, Yangtze River (Chaing Jiang), Mekong River, Yellow Jiang), Mekong River, Yellow River (Huang He)River (Huang He)

Area has abundant arable land Area has abundant arable land (land to grow food)(land to grow food)

Plateau of Tibet hard to live onPlateau of Tibet hard to live onGobi DesertGobi Desert Located in northern China and Located in northern China and southern Mongoliasouthern Mongolia second largest in the worldsecond largest in the world

Economic Characteristics Economic Characteristics

Varied economies in the region Varied economies in the region ranging from ranging from subsistence/commercial subsistence/commercial agriculture to high-tech agriculture to high-tech industrial manufacturingindustrial manufacturing

Active participation in global Active participation in global marketsmarkets

Many newly industrialized Many newly industrialized countries…countries…

South Korea, Taiwan, South Korea, Taiwan, SingaporeSingapore

China / Japan are the China / Japan are the economic leaders of the areaeconomic leaders of the area

China in transition period from China in transition period from a centrally planned economy a centrally planned economy to more of a free marketto more of a free market

Agricultural advancements and Agricultural advancements and technology are enabling greater technology are enabling greater food production-- “Green food production-- “Green Revolution”Revolution”

Environmental degradationEnvironmental degradationdeforestationdeforestation fishing is importantfishing is important

Many countries are members Many countries are members of the Association of of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which was set up (ASEAN) which was set up with the USwith the US

main crops are rice and main crops are rice and tropical crops such as tropical crops such as bananasbananas

Cultural CharacteristicsCultural CharacteristicsAreas of extremely dense and Areas of extremely dense and

sparse populationsparse populationsevere contrast between rural severe contrast between rural

and urban areasand urban areasserious religious conflicts--serious religious conflicts--

primarily between Hindus and primarily between Hindus and MuslimsMuslims

deep respect for ancestorsdeep respect for ancestorsReligious diversityReligious diversityHinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism,

Christianity, Taoism, Shinto, Christianity, Taoism, Shinto, Confucianism are the major Confucianism are the major religionsreligions

India has a strict caste India has a strict caste system--(similar to a class system--(similar to a class structure) structure)

once born into a caste it is once born into a caste it is next to impossible to move next to impossible to move out of that casteout of that caste

Cultural heritageCultural heritageSilksSilksBatikBatikwood and ivory carvingwood and ivory carvingideograms--unique ideograms--unique alphabetsalphabets

jewelsjewels

Important citiesImportant cities Tokyo, Japan Tokyo, Japan Beijing, ChinaBeijing, China New Delhi,IndiaNew Delhi,India

Cultural landscapeCultural landscape--Taj --Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, Great Mahal, Angkor Wat, Great Wall of China, floating Wall of China, floating markets, mosques,minarets, markets, mosques,minarets, pagodas, temples and pagodas, temples and shrines, terraced rice fieldsshrines, terraced rice fields

Angkor WatAngkor Wat

Angkor WatAngkor Wat

Great Wall of ChinaGreat Wall of China

Taj MahalTaj Mahal

Taj MahalTaj Mahal

BatikBatik

HimalayasHimalayas

Himalayas—Mt. EverestHimalayas—Mt. Everest

Mount FujiMount Fuji

Mount Fuji—outside of Mount Fuji—outside of TokyoTokyo

Mt. FujiMt. Fuji

Gobi DesertGobi Desert

BuddhaBuddha

Buddha in New DelhiBuddha in New Delhi

Shinto ShrineShinto Shrine

TempleTemple

PagodaPagoda

PagodaPagoda

TempleTemple